Target's Open House Sets Up Home in the Metreon

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Knock-knock. Who's there? Target. Are you sure? Yes. Welcome to a whole new (high-tech) world called Target Open House.

The Minneapolis-based company's very first retail space-cum-lab-cum-meeting space, dedicated to all things connected home, just opened in San Francisco's Metreon shopping center (right next to the City Target). Prepare for 3,500 square feet of futuristic fun where you can buy every kind of smart home device imaginable—and see them in action.

No doubt, the seeing and the interacting with all the "home's" technology is the coolest part of this unique space. It's wet up like a house, one made of transparent acrylic and coordinating acrylic furniture. And visitors are encouraged to experience how the connection of everyday items (thermostats to door locks) to the Internet makes for convenient, efficient and personalized living.

So wander around and see how a coffeemaker, lamp and sound system all work together to seamlessly solve real-life problems. "What we're trying to do is humanize and personalize the benefits of these products, as well as show them working in concert. It's really about relevant storytelling and creating a destination for engagement and discovery," says Todd Waterbury, Target's chief creative officer.

Open House will also be used as a regular meeting space for tech talks, product demos (including those of local hardware companies) and product launches. With a key location across from Moscone Center, otherwise known as Tech Conference Central, chances are pretty good this will become quite the happenin' techie hub.

Pretty smart. We're digging this new side of Tarjay. But don't get it twisted: We're still beyond excited for the Adam Lippes for Target collab, debuting September 27.