NEW YORK — Meta has signed a 10-year lease agreement for a flagship store with Vornado Realty Trust at 697 Fifth Avenue. Meta Lab New York will occupy the entire five-level, 15,000-square-foot townhouse building. adjacent to the base of the St. Regis Hotel.
This is the first flagship retail location for Meta in Manhattan, following its initial flagship store opening in Los Angeles in 2025. Meta Lab is a people-first experiential retail space that reimagines traditional shopping as a celebration of community, culture, and creative self-expression. Designed for hands-on discovery, Meta Lab invites visitors to experience Meta’s leading AI glasses and virtual reality headsets, making it easy to understand how the technology works and imagine how it fits into everyday life. Each location is shaped by its neighborhood, cocreated with local artists and communities around distinct creative themes, and brought to life in an authentic, welcoming space.
“We’re proud to make a long-term commitment to Fifth Avenue, the heart of U.S. retail,” said Matt Jacobson, VP and Creative Director, Wearables, at Meta. “Our people-first approach to experiential retail is rooted in culture, creativity, and self-expression, and it’s driving meaningful sales and awareness of our products. Placing our flagship store alongside the brands that help define culture, will distinguish Meta Lab from traditional consumer electronics retail. There’s no better home than NYC to innovate on retail, and we’ll continue to celebrate the community while making our products easy to see, try, and understand.”
“As evidenced by Meta Lab’s immediate and tremendous success during its introductory pop up at this location, Fifth Avenue remains one of the most attractive retail corridors in the world for today’s most innovative and iconic brands,” said Vornado Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Real Estate Glen Weiss. “We are thrilled to further extend our long-standing relationship with Meta and applaud their permanent entry into New York City’s retail landscape.”
Drawn to its tech industry, universities, financial institutions and startup ecosystem, Meta has invested heavily in New York City since arriving in 2007. In 2020, Meta leased 730,000 square feet comprising all of the office space at The Farley Building in Vornado’s PENN DISTRICT. The iconic location serves as Meta’s New York City headquarters and a hub for its tech and engineering teams. Meta Lab New York joins Meta Lab Los Angeles as flagship retail locations.
