AT&T’s collaboration with a small business focuses on localized customer experience, tech innovation, and relaxed vibe

A new concept store that could change how consumers interact with and purchase wireless products will be introduced to the vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle on Sept. 29. The Lounge by AT&T™* – the first of its kind for the company – is a 3,000 square foot space designed to be part retail store, part coffeehouse and part hangout space.

“We want it to be a second living room for Capitol Hill residents, both AT&T and non-AT&T customers, to meet up, work, and hang out,” said Jeff Bradley, West Region President at AT&T. “We have a super-fast network in The Lounge so people can work remotely, stream their favorite content, or just relax and drink coffee. What makes this space so unique is a design and layout that embodies the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the collaboration with a local small business, Ada’s Discovery Café, and an innovative digital shopping experience.”

Locally-Inspired Teamwork

AT&T* is collaborating with small business owners Danielle and David Hulton to bring The Lounge to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Ada’s Discovery Café will be situated inside The Lounge, making the coffee experience an integral part of the store’s relaxed atmosphere.

“Throughout the whole planning process and bringing The Lounge to fruition, AT&T leaned heavily on our team to stay true to the Seattle and Capitol Hill communities,” said Danielle Hulton. “It was great to see a global company like AT&T take such a keen interest in our local community, and really prioritize the authenticity of the Seattle vibe that we’re bringing to the people through The Lounge.”

Ada’s Discovery Café will feature sophisticated coffee robots that will use precision technology to brew coffee as perfectly as possible, a task that a human simply cannot replicate. This state-of-the-art coffee house will be managed by Cole McBride, who, in April, won the 2018 U.S. Barista Championship (USBC) at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, competing against 35 top baristas in the country. Cole is designing inspired new coffee inventions uniquely for The Lounge.

New Ways to Learn and Buy

The Lounge will also feature an innovative digital shopping experience that has never been used at any other AT&T store. It enables a customer to use an intuitive digital catalog – from a large 4K screen or their personal device – and then pick up their new AT&T purchases from secure lockers within the space.

The Lounge will have a custom app that will allow customers to order and pay for coffee and food from Ada’s; listen to programming shown on a huge 98-inch high-definition TV screen; and search for upcoming events at The Lounge.

Investing in Seattle

“We picked Seattle to launch this concept because consumers here love great coffee and new tech gadgets” said Morgan Collins, Vice President and General Manager of Pacific States at AT&T. “This market is creative, adventurous, and tech-savvy, so we’re evolving as our customers’ interests and preferences evolve.”

The new location is part of AT&T’s continuing investment in its networks, retail footprint and workforce in the greater Seattle area and throughout the state. AT&T has invested more than $1.3 billion in its wireless and landline networks in Washington between 2015 and 2017. And last year, AT&T made more than 3,500 wireless network coverage, capacity and speed upgrades in Washington, which included adding new cell sites, expanding its LTE footprint, and completing multiple new in-building and outdoor distributed antenna systems. AT&T was recently named “Best U.S. Network” in the most comprehensive U.S. study into wireless connectivity to date, according to Global Wireless Solutions.

A New Retail Experience

The Lounge is part of AT&T’s bigger strategy to have one of the fastest growing retail footprints in the nation with more than 1,000 new store locations – many mobile and pop-up formats – by the end of 2019, which was announced Sept. 20. The company plans to add to its portfolio of more than 5,300 branded stores.

“The Lounge is more about an experience than it is about retail,” Bradley said. “It’s a collection of services unlike anything else in our industry – it’s designed to change the way we engage with consumers.”

Store information

The Lounge by AT&T will be located on 800 East Thomas Street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Hours for the new store are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. To find the nearest AT&T store or Device Support Center near you, visit www.att.com/find-a-store or www.att.com/dsc. Don’t forget you can also make an appointment before visiting your local AT&T store -https://www.att.com/storeappointment/.