Electronics retailer hopes to launch new strategy in Vegas

Jennifer Shubinski

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004 | 11:07 a.m.

Tweeter Home Entertainment Group, a specialty retailer of entertainment electronics, will open a new concept store and launch a new national brand strategy in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas store, set to open in mid-January at Boca Park in western Las Vegas, represents the future of the Tweeter brand, said executives for the Canton, Mass.-based company.

"The Las Vegas store is the next evolution in consumer electronics retailing," said Kate MacKinnon, Tweeter spokeswoman.

The 7,500-square-foot store will cater to the higher-end customer, she said.

A Henderson location is scheduled to open in the spring.

Upon arrival, a concierge will greet customers and hand them a remote control that device will allow customers to walk through a series of rooms, set up to resemble different areas in a house, and use different products to their specifications throughout the store.

Half of the store will be what Tweeter is calling an "entertainment architect design studio" to design a customers complete entertainment package, MacKinnon said.

"The way the store is set up, the way we sell will be different," she said.

Tweeter, with stores mainly located in the East, Southeast and Southwest, wanted to enter a market where its brand was relatively unknown. Las Vegas seemed the perfect fit, MacKinnon said.

"Las Vegas is undeniably a town that loves entertainment," she said. "We want to be known as the leading specialty retailer of entertaining consumer electronic solutions."

The store won't sell every electronic item, but it will sell those that pertain to entertainment, such as TVs and sound systems. The store also will have a "mobile" division that will outfit cars with all the latest entertainment equipment.

The store, which will employ 15 people, will also introduce Tweeter's new logo. All concepts are being tested for possible rollout to the rest of the Tweeter's 177 stores.

Tweeter also owns Florida-based Sound Advice, Atlanta-based HiFi Buys, Dallas-based Hillcrest High Fidelity and Showcase Home Entertainment in Phoenix.com