Something surprising has been happening in commerce.
Across the country, shoppers may notice storefronts for brands like Warby Parker and Allbirds that they once knew only from digital ads or online marketplaces. The same brands that upended traditional retail by selling direct to consumers and building cult followings on social media have started opening stores.
Retail, it turns out, is not a one-way street, and the physical store is certainly not obsolete—it’s being reimagined.
Which brands have gone from digital to physical?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 1 million retail businesses operate in America, and 83.7% of U.S. retail sales take place in physical stores. Six in 10 customers frequent brick-and-mortar stores so they can see and touch items they are considering.
It’s not surprising that brick-and-mortar appeals to many online-first retailers, and the list of digitally native brands opening physical stores is growing:
Warby Parker, the eyewear disruptor founded in 2010, exploded in popularity by allowing customers to try on glasses at home. But soon, the company saw value in moving away from a purely digital experience. Today, it operates over 200 stores, many with in-house optometrists and same-day lenses. Warby Parker has become a seamless hybrid—offering the convenience of online shopping and the reassurance of in-person service. Its stores are doing well; in 2023, for example, Warby Parker’s online sales dipped by 3.1%, but its store revenue rose by 21.7%.
Glossier turned beauty on its head by engaging customers directly through social media. Now, the company’s flagships in New York and Los Angeles have become destinations – complete with selfie mirrors, immersive installations, exclusive items and a communal hangout. The brand’s showroom in New York has earned more revenue per square foot than the average Apple store. Today, Glossier has 11 stores with plans for more.
Other brands have followed suit:
- Bonobos, a menswear brand, pioneered “guideshops” where customers try on clothes and have them shipped home (you can’t buy the actual product in the store). Customers’ measurements are recorded and stored, so any future items they decide to buy will fit perfectly.
- Rothy’s, known for its recycled-material shoes, launched stores to let customers feel the product’s quality firsthand. Their stores, which grew by 50% in 2024, helped to send the brand past $200 million in sales this February.
- Casper was the first direct-to-consumer mattress retailer to open stores, the first to sell through third parties and the first to go public.
Each of these brands realized that while online success is powerful, real-world retail can unlock the next stage of growth.
However, not all have been successful. Allbirds, known for its eco-conscious wool sneakers, launched online in 2016 to massive success. Allbirds opened its first store in San Francisco and now has locations across the U.S. and abroad. In 2024, however, the brand pulled back on new store openings to focus on its existing stores’ waning profitability. Its brick-and-mortar story stands in stark contrast to Warby Parker’s – perhaps owing to the nature of the optical industry versus the shoe industry. Retailers should be sure that a branded space can add to their value, or whether the product can do just as well online or in department stores.
The Showroom Effect: Why Stores Still Matter
Brands with a thriving e-commerce business can find success in high-rent storefronts and physical overhead from the showroom effect. The in-person experience does what no app or website can: it creates an emotional connection by fostering human interaction and the ability to physically touch a product.
Physical locations also serve as customer acquisition channels as digital ads become more expensive. Instead of renting attention on social media or websites, brands can convert passersby into loyal customers.
Showrooms also support omnichannel strategies. Studies show that customers who interact with a brand both online and in-store spend more and have a 30% higher lifetime value. The two channels work together and reinforce each other.
Not Your Average Store
The store experience for many online-first brands is individualized and forward-thinking, with unique curations and experiences. Glossier, for example, leans into the beauty lab experience. Warby Parker’s stores are inspired by a sleek library. Casper began unveiling its new store concept in 2024, making it more of an interactive experience. The revamped stores include a Pillow Lab for testing the brand’s pillows, a “Bedroom DeZzzign Center” experience that offers personalized service to design a sleep setup, and a Bunkhouse designed for kids while their parents shop.
These spaces don’t just exist to sell as many products as possible; their goal is to deepen a brand’s relationship with consumers.
Retail’s Next Chapter Is Hybrid
Successful brands no longer see physical and digital as separate channels, but as parts of a unified ecosystem. As NetChoice’s research notes, shoppers prefer to mix both online and in-store retail options.
Storefronts aren’t replacing e-commerce; they’re enhancing it. The future involves both – a visit to the store could trigger an online purchase, and an online interaction or social media ad also drives in-store foot traffic. In a dizzying retail world of constant change, customer focus and adaptability is everything.
Image via Unsplash.