Is Google planning to open a retail store in Ireland?
A local planning application indicates that Google is targeting Dublin, Ireland, for its first standalone retail store.
The application states that the store would sell “Google merchandise” to the public, and cover about 1,323 square feet of space in the Montevetro office block. While Google has an employee-only store in its California headquarters and a corner of Currys and PC World in London dedicated to selling laptops, this would be the first standalone Google retail location.
“While we do have the option to open retail space, we are examining all potential uses,” the company said in an e-mailed statement to Bloomberg regarding the planning application. “No final decision has been taken.”
Dublin is the site of Google’s European headquarters, the company’s largest office outside of the U.S. and soon to be the employer of over 3,000 people once it expands into its new property there. The application was approved by the Dublin City Council last month, so it’s only a matter of time before we see what the company has planned for the site.
The move to brick-and-mortar retail locations isn’t exactly a surprising one, as Google has been looking to catch up with Apple in this area. With Apple’s 361 stores churning out sales of iPhones and other devices, Google has a lot of ground to cover — so the success of the Dublin store could have a lot riding on it.
This article was originally posted on Digital Trends
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