Experiential Retail Chain, Pirch, Shuttering Most of its Stores
Pirch is planning to shutter most of its locations as it overhauls operations. The high-end appliance and kitchen chain has been praised for its innovative retail experiences, including in-store chefs and try-before-you-buy mentality. Despite just opening up its Austin, Texas location in early May, Pirch is shuttering the storefront. In addition to the Austin location, Bloomberg reports Pirch is closing its Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta storefronts on Sept. 30. Though negotiations continue, the company’s stores in Paramus, N.J. and New York City are also scheduled for closure at the end of the month.
Total Retail's Take: Sad to see another retailer have to close its doors. While Pirch is restructuring to focus on its California storefronts, closing the majority of its stores is telling of the current retail climate. What I find most interesting is Pirch delivered the quintessential experiential retail storefront that many tout as the future of brick-and-mortar retail. It offered innovative in-store technology, unique product and personalized experiences. I think this could be just a case of a brand overextending its reach too quickly. We'll have to see what's next for Pirch.
