A Trip to the Samsung Flagship "Store" That Doesn't Sell Anything

Over the weekend, I was walking around the Meatpacking District in NYC.  It was a rather gloomy day for July, and I was wishing that I could be transported somewhere else that had better weather (Hawaii, anyone?). That is when I discovered one of the most interactive "stores" in NYC that doesn't sell anything: The Samsung flagship store. 

I pushed the semi-tinted doors open to find a world of technology inside. The first floor was filled with different virtual reality stations, all for the public to use and enjoy. At first, I thought you had to buy tickets or pay to play these games, but an employee told me something shocking. None of these products were actually available for purchase in the store! They were all simply for demonstration purposes and to educate the public. Since virtual reality is still relatively new to the consumer market, Samsung created this tech playground for people to get more comfortable with using virtual reality goggles for entertainment and education. 

The first station that I went to was a zombie apocalypse game.  I sat down, and a friendly Samsung employee put goggles over my head first, and then headphones on my ears. Finally, she handed me a controller which would become my zombie-killing weapon. I have to say, even though I have tried virtual reality games before, I was still scared out of my mind! The demo lasted for about 5 minutes, and then I was onto the next. 

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what looked like an entire roller coaster inside of Samsung. Just like the real thing, you get secured into the seat and motors shake you to simulate falls and acceleration. I got a kick out of this demo because I could still hear the screams of fellow passengers even with my VR headphones on! 

The last station that I went to in the Samsung Flagship store was a surfing game. They had two realistic surfboards up on a platform, with large fans pointing towards them. This time I just watched in awe. A couple, standing side-by-side on surfboards, was laughing and screaming with delight. It seemed like they really found a way to transport away from this gloomy NYC day and go surfing in Hawaii! 

Here is what was going on inside their virtual reality goggles: 

By the time I left the Samsung store, nearly two hours had flown by! I couldn't believe that I spent so long in a store that had nothing for me to buy. All in all, it was a great adventure to turn my gloomy day around. I would definitely recommend visiting the Samsung Flagship store at 837 Washington Street if you are looking for something to do in NYC!