Google to require masks in its NYC store

Google is opening a retail store in New York City, and I couldn't be more excited. No, I don't plan on shopping there, but instead, I'll use it for a place to sit down and cool off in the summertime. You see, that is what many New Yorkers use the Apple Store for -- a place to hang out and charge their phone while enjoying the free air conditioning. I expect the Google Store to become a similar destination.

Some people will go to this new Chelsea Google Store to actually shop too, I suppose. Customers can expect to see many Google products like Chromebooks, Pixel phones, Nest smart home devices, and more. By visiting a physical store, consumers can be assisted by actual people -- a nice change to the coldness of online shopping. The search giant will even offer workshops to teach customers more about the Google products they already own.

"The Google Store Chelsea will be part of our urban campus in the Chelsea neighborhood, which is home to many of our 11,000+ Google NYC employees. Google has been in New York for the last 20 years, and we view the store as a natural extension of our longtime commitment to the city," says Jason Rosenthal, Direct Channels and Membership Vice President, Google.

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Rosenthal also says, "The new Google Store is an important next step in our hardware journey of providing the most helpful experience of Google, wherever and whenever people need it. We look forward to meeting many of our customers and hearing their feedback on the store, so we can continue to explore and experiment with the possibilities of a physical retail space and build upon the experience."

The Google Store NYC will officially open in Chelsea this summer, but the search giant has not yet revealed a specific date. Strangely, Google says masks will be required inside the store even though New York has recently removed its mask mandate. While some customers will appreciate Google's focus on health and safety, I expect many more New Yorkers to be annoyed by the seemingly unnecessary face-covering rule.