Netflix is opening stores soon — but don’t expect a ‘Blockbuster’ revival
Netflix isn't shipping DVDs anymore, but it's apparently planning on opening actual physical stores soon.
However, don't get too excited about the possibility of returning to the Blockbuster golden era. The stores aren't going to be video stores. Instead, they're going to be massive merch pop-ups.
Everything we know about 'Netflix House'
Bloomberg reported that the streaming giant plans to open brick-and-mortar retail shops dubbed "Netflix House." The idea is to bring some version of Netflix to the real world. That means merch, of course, and also experiential elements such as a Squid Game-inspired obstacle courses and food from shows on the streamer.
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"We've seen how much fans love to immerse themselves in the world of our movies and TV shows, and we've been thinking a lot about how we take that to the next level," Josh Simon, Netflix's VP of consumer products, told Bloomberg.
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It makes sense that Netflix is trying to capitalize on taking their shows IRL. After all, it's already done it before. The streaming giant has an online merch shop and it's rolled out immersive IRL experiences for Squid Game.
Details on Netflix House remain scarce, but it seems like yet another way to get money out of your pockets amid its rising prices and crackdown on password sharing. But hey, maybe you'll be able to go on a first date in the Love Is Blind pods.
Topics Netflix
Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).
