Specialty retailer Showcase has opened a store in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove.
It’s the Canadian chain’s first Long Island location, with a second coming soon to Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station.
Showcase specializes in new and hard-to-find consumer trends in health, beauty, home, toys, novelty candy and food, according to a company statement. Designed to be interactive, customers are encouraged to “try it before you buy it” with the majority of the store’s products open and on display.
Founded in 1994 in Edmonton, Alberta, Showcase has 143 locations across North America, including 34 stores in the northeastern U.S. Currently in an expansion mode, the company expects to have a total of 150 stores by the end of the year.
“Our quick expansion into the New York market marks a major milestone for Showcase as we continue to strengthen our presence in the U.S.,” Samir Kulkarni, Showcase CEO, said in the statement. “We are very excited to introduce customers in Lake Grove and the neighboring Long Island communities to the unique Showcase shopping experience. Shoppers will now have convenient access to a store filled with the hottest social media trends they won’t find elsewhere.”
Showcase employs proprietary trendspotting technology that’s powered by algorithms and AI to understand and identify trending products quickly. The company’s agility allows it to be first and fastest to market. On average, each trend goes from concept to shelf in 53 days, with some of the top 10 items launching in as little as 16 days, according to the statement.
Current top trends at Showcase include Squishmallows, weighted plushies, freeze-dried candy, specialty energy drinks, Pokémon trading cards, pouched pickles and deep tissue massage guns. Focusing on private label offerings, Showcase’s in-house brands account for 70 percent of its sales.
David Winzelberg
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