Meta has signed a 10-year lease for its first permanent flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The 15,000-square-foot, five-level townhouse sits among luxury brands like Gucci and Prada. The move supports the company's push into experiential retail for its AI glasses.
Meta began occupying the Fifth Avenue space in November 2025 with a short-term pop-up but has now committed to a decade-long lease, making it the company's second permanent flagship after Meta Lab LA opened in October 2025. Matt Jacobson, Meta’s VP and creative director of wearables, said the stores aim to build aspirational value around the brand. “We’re going to settle in and are looking to open eight to 10 more stores this year. First, in the US, but we’re now starting to consider international expansion, as well,” Jacobson told Vogue. He emphasized that the spaces celebrate community, creativity, and self-expression beyond just selling glasses. Meta plans to theme the New York store around New York skate culture from 1960 to today, offering free coffee and cookies from a Brooklyn skate shop, a 3D-printing station for custom designs on glasses cases, full-length mirrors for outfit try-ons, and demonstrations of the AI glasses' features. Jacobson noted, “Placing our flagship store alongside the brands that help define culture will distinguish Meta Lab from traditional consumer electronics retail.” The company views this as positioning its smart glasses, made with EssilorLuxottica as Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta, as aspirational yet accessible. The lease reflects broader efforts by Meta to create physical experiences amid commoditized tech hardware. Jacobson described Meta as a lifestyle brand, selecting the location on Millionaires’ Row to align with cultural influencers.
