Netflix has announced the first two cities for its gigantic new in-person experience venues, slated to open in 2025.
They’re not exactly theme parks, but the new Netflix Houses — to open next year in King of Prussia, Pa., and Dallas — will feature a wide array of shopping outlets, eateries and experiential activities tied to the streamer’s major franchises like “Bridgerton,” “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game.”
The two locations will occupy former department store locations at the King of Prussia Mall (at 180 North Gulph Road) and at the Galleria Dallas (13350 Dallas Parkway), each spanning footprints of more than 100,000 square feet.
The Netflix House locations will build on previous pop-up live experiences the company has staged for “Bridgerton,” “Money Heist,” “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game” and Netflix Bites, designed to “create an unforgettable venue to explore your favorite Netflix stories and characters beyond the screen year-round,” the company said.
At least initially, Netflix doesn’t see these permanent retail destinations as becoming a sizable new business segment. Rather, the goal — as with its other IRL events and pop-ups — is for them to serve as marketing vehicles that invite fan engagement, as a way to support the core subscription-streaming biz.
“At Netflix House, you can enjoy regularly updated immersive experiences, indulge in retail therapy, and get a taste — literally — of your favorite Netflix series and films through unique food and drink offerings,” Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “We’ve launched more than 50 experiences in 25 cities, and Netflix House represents the next generation of our distinctive offerings. The venues will bring our beloved stories to life in new, ever-changing and unexpected ways.”
Outside each Netflix House, you’ll see sculptures and a mural mash-up of characters from popular Netflix titles, according to the company. As examples of what to expect at the brick-and-mortar complexes, the company says, “Imagine waltzing with your partner to an orchestral cover of a Taylor Swift song on a replica of the ‘Bridgerton’ set –– and then walking around the corner to compete in the Glass Bridge challenge from ‘Squid Game.’” Visitors can then visit a restaurant “with food inspired by Netflix shows from around the world” and then browse a store with merch such as “that Hellfire Club T-shirt you’ve always wanted” from “Stranger Things.”
Pictured above: Artist’s rendering of the Netflix House experiential venue concept