"Experiences period … are what it's going to take in the future for brick-and-mortar guys to survive." -Robin Lewis, CEO of The Robin Report
Pirch, which plans to roll out three locations a year, is not limiting itself to malls. In 2016, it will open a three-level, 32,000-square-foot store in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, in a vacant space that once served as a metal foundry.
"We know that when people walk through the space they're just stunned and they start to dream," Sears said. "Water runs, the chefs are cooking and people are learning. Pretty soon you just simply say, 'My house sucks.'"
Not only can shoppers reserve Pirch's "Sanctuary" room—which includes more than a dozen shower heads, a steam room and a sauna—but whenever the store is open, a chef is always cooking, sending the aroma of bacon or other savory treats through the air.