CHICAGO—Motorola Inc. appears to have succeeded in beating rival Nokia Corp. in a race to open a company-branded store in Motorola’s own backyard.
Motorola opened a pop-up retail location it is calling Destination Q on Chicago’s trendy North Michigan Avenue shopping district, only a block away from a retail store Nokia plans to open later this month. Motorola’s store is housed in the former Terra Museum apparently under a temporary lease as the space is scheduled to be developed into a condominium complex next year.
Motorola said the store features hands-on demonstrations of various Motorola Q functions and Verizon Wireless representatives will be on hand to provide demonstrations as well. The pair began offering Motorola’s Moto Q phone exclusively through Verizon Wireless late last month. Motorola said other handsets would also be on display.
The store came together quickly as Motorola had not yet signed a lease for the space as of mid-May, according to a report in RCR Wireless News’ sister publication Crain’s Chicago Business.
Nokia’s retail store, its first in the United States, is located close by at 545 N. Michigan Ave.
