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Inside NYC Discount Den Century 21's First LA Pop-Up

By Danielle Directo-Meston
  • Save for denim, shoppers will only find one size of each item displayed to streamline the shopping process.
  • The Pixel Wall's cubed displays are made of digital screens that can be customized however the retailer pleases.
  • The cubes can also be programmed to extend beyond the wall, offering shelf space for accessories.
  • Can't find your size? Simply head to the dressing room and the touch-screen mirror will take care of that.
  • Built with bar code scanners, these digital stations will tell you if there are more sizes in stock online and offline. Shoppers can also place orders for home delivery, find similar styles, request sizes to be sent to a fitting room, and more.
  • Welcome to the dressing rooms of the future, where touch-screen mirrors act as shopping concierges. Inside, a pull-out rack allows shoppers to conveniently return unwanted items or swap for sizes.
  • Simply make your request using the touch-screen mirror, and your item will magically appear in the pull-out shelving. (Okay, there's a team of hard-working staff pulling merch behind the curtains.)
  • These displays show off each day's trending items, meaning you can see what everyone else shopped for that day.
  • The men's area on the second floor.
  • Every hanger has an RFID chip so that the dressing room "knows" the exact items you're trying on.
  • The incredibly addicting virtual reality station. It's fitting that the rug looks like a black hole, because time seriously disappears once you strap on that headset. (Trust.)

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East coast label lovers are well-acquainted with Century 21, the retail chain known for stocking cult-fave designers at major discounts. Today, the retailer opens its first LA pop-up shop at Santa Monica Place, and it's a futuristic shopping wonderland.

Occupying Kitson's old two-story space facing Third Street Promenade, the 8,000-square-foot store was transformed into a offline-meets-online retail experience by WithMe, which will host a revolving roster of retailers for the next year. The super-smart shop features a ton of interactive and innovative features built to simplify shopping, from massive Pixel Walls for showcasing accessories to "magic" changing room mirrors.

That's not all: 15 digital concierge stations allow shoppers to place an order in-store for home delivery and so much more. They'll also take a quick snapshot of guests who request additional sizes and styles, making it easier for staff to track down shoppers. Feeling overwhelmed? The second floor's VR station offers a mind-blowing escape to a digital world, where users can "paint" a virtual dress form and more.

As far as goods, C21's pop-up shop offers womenswear by Rag & Bone, Paige, Velvet by Graham & Spencer, and Ramy Brook; swimwear by Letarte; bags by Furla, Michael Kors, and Marc by Marc Jacobs; and more. Up on the second story, men can shop clothing by Penguin, John Varvatos, and Kinetix; swim trunks by Villebrequin and Slate & Stone; and basics by Psychobunny, to name a few.

Scroll through the gallery above to explore more inside the store and its game-changing tech touches, and swing by now through Friday, June 8th.

Century 21 at is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 8pm.

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Santa Monica Place

395 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA