Lombardo noted that he was sure to make the experience fit for fans of all ages, and thus included a replica of Gabby's iconic dollhouse from the namesake children's series, Gabby's Dollhouse. In a fun nod to the streaming platform, guests can also expect the colorful "Who's watching?" smiley-face icons for sale as plush pillows, called "Chilleez."Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
Open now through Jan. 6, 2023, guests of all ages can expect a range of limited-edition items and apparel from Netflix’s most popular titles, including Stranger Things, Bridgerton, and Squid Game, plus children-centric series like Gabby’s Dollhouse, Cocomelon, and Ada Twist, just to name a few. “As soon as guests enter the store, they are fully transported into the world of Netflix,” Greg Lombardo, Netflix’s head of live experiences, told BizBash.
“They will walk through the iconic streams [and] right into their favorite stories,” he added, referencing a corner of the 10,000-square-foot space that’s home to an oversized Young-Hee doll, which wreaked havoc on Squid Game, but serves as a fun photo op complete with eyes that light up red.
And if futuristic horror fictions aren’t for you, step back in time to Regency-era London. To cater to the Bridgerton fans, Queen Charlotte’s throne and “unique costumes directly from the show” are on-site. The store is also selling Inside Bridgeton, a behind-the-scenes story authored by the romance period drama’s creator, Shonda Rhimes.
After seeing global success with immersive experiences such as "The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience," "Money Heist: The Experience," and "Stranger Things: The Store," Lombardo said that it was time for a multi-title to-do, which just so happened to be a “great opportunity to seamlessly blend that with the perfect shopping opportunity for the holidays,” he said.
You can't mention Netflix fan favorites without bringing Squid Game into the conversation. The futuristic horror fiction shot to fame upon its release on the streaming service on Sept. 17, 2021. In a nod to its roaring success, Lombardo was sure to fabricate an oversized Young-Hee doll. Although the animatronic doll wreaked havoc on Squid Game, it serves as a fun photo op at Netflix at The Grove complete with eyes that light up red.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
However, the push to get the pop-up shop open by gift-shopping season was no easy feat. Lombardo pointed to the timeline as the biggest challenge, adding that the turnaround time was an “impressive” one.
And he's not done. Come early December, Netflix at The Grove will "will open a secondary floor bursting with holiday spirit, where fans can continue to step into their favorite movies and shows," Lombardo said. The experiential expert also teased that the "new immersive elements and photo vignettes" will nod to shows like Slumberland, Matilda, Emily in Paris, The Great British Baking Show: Holidays, and many more.
Keep scrolling to see just how impressive the IRL iterations of Netflix’s most popular shows are…
Greg Lombardo, Netflix’s head of live experiences, told BizBash that Rhimes' book has been on sale to the general public since Oct. 25, but was available exclusively ahead of its release date at Netflix at The Grove since Oct. 13.
