Meta Opens Fifth Physical Store on NYC's Fifth Avenue as Smart Glasses Sales Hit 7 Million Units

Meta Opens Fifth Physical Store on NYC’s Fifth Avenue as Smart Glasses Sales Hit 7 Million Units

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4.6.2026

Quick Facts

Meta now operates five retail stores across the US, including a new Manhattan flagship on Fifth Avenue
EssilorLuxottica sold over 7 million AI glasses in 2024, up from 2 million in 2023 and 2024 combined
Meta signed a 10-year lease for a five-story, 15,000-square-foot space at 697 Fifth Avenue

Meta opened its fifth US retail store in March on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, expanding its network of “Meta Labs” locations designed to test AI-powered wearables with consumers.

The social media giant signed a 10-year lease with Vornado Realty Trust for the entire five-story building at 697 Fifth Ave., adjacent to the St. Regis Hotel. The 15,000-square-foot flagship joins existing locations in Burlingame, California; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; and Honolulu.

“Our stores exist to do what physical does best: let people try a new category and tell us immediately what clicks and what doesn’t,” said Nicola Mendelsohn, head of global business group at Meta, during a session at Shoptalk.

The retail expansion comes as Meta’s smart glasses business shows strong growth. EssilorLuxottica sold over 7 million AI glasses in 2024, representing a 250% increase from the 2 million units sold in 2023 and 2024 combined. The eyewear company plans to increase annual production capacity to 10 million units by the end of 2026, with Meta suggesting potential expansion to 20 million units.

EssilorLuxottica reported an 18% surge in fourth-quarter sales, with revenue totaling €7.6 billion ($9 billion) during the holiday period. The company projects smart glasses will contribute approximately 3.7 billion euros to its revenue by 2030, accounting for about 10% of total sales.

Meta’s retail strategy differs from traditional stores. The locations serve as testing environments where consumers can experience AI-powered glasses and virtual reality headsets while providing immediate feedback to improve hardware design and software experience.

“That feedback helps us improve everything from hardware design to software experience and then scale what we learn across our partner and retail footprint,” Mendelsohn said. She emphasized that “physical scales belief, digital scales reach, AI personalizes, and winning brands use all three.”

The approach contrasts with other tech giants’ retail struggles. Amazon has faced challenges with Go stores, while Microsoft shut down nearly all physical locations after its Microsoft Store initiative failed to gain traction.

Meta’s retail timeline began in 2022 with its first flagship near San Francisco. The company tested pop-up locations in Los Angeles before establishing permanent Meta Lab stores. Additional locations are expected in 2026 as the company continues its retail rollout.