Sonos opens its first European concept store today (November 16). The retail, exhibition, screen and listening space is based in London’s Covent Garden (21-23 Earlham Street).

The brand behind whole-home sound systems has designed the store to replicate the domestic environment, in order to showcase how Sonos fits seamlessly into the home environment. The launch follows a major marketing campaign for Sonos One, the first Sonos product with built-in voice control from Amazon’s Alexa.

The store has also been sonically tested by Sonos sound engineers, overseen by the company’s ‘sound experience leader’, Giles Martin. It includes custom-built listening rooms inspired by the flagship store in New York.

It will also play host to a line-up of listening events, screenings, cultural talks and installations. The first of these events will celebrate David Bowie with a display of rarely seen images of the late singer's London life taken by photographers including Mick Rock, Brian Duffy, and Mike Maloney. A sold-out discussion event hosted by Miranda Sawyer and featuring Nick Rhodes, Peaches and Graham Coxon takes place on November 17.

On the opening weekend, NTS Radio will be broadcasting live from the Sonos London store with guests including Iggy Pop, Bat for Lashes, Dev Hynes, Neneh Cherry, Thurston Moore, Franz Ferdinand, Michael Rother, Dylan Jones, Bullion and Connan Mockasin .

Whitney Walker, general store manager at Sonos, said: “The entire store experience is based on the idea of being in a really comfortable and inspiring environment. We’re proud to be opening our first European concept store in London, providing a dedicated space for music fans to create, connect and ultimately discover the best ways to listen to music out loud. 

“We have carefully considered how people bring music into their home environment through curation, and used it within the concept store to pay homage to the great city of London and the culture that was born here and continues to inspire the world. Our passionate staff look forward to opening the doors to the public and can’t wait to provide the capital with world class Sonos service.”

Sonos is planning a Berlin store in 2018, as well as a new range of voice-activated products.

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