San Diego’s first Google Store opens Friday.
The evening before, a select group of Google fans toured the nearly 4,000-square-foot space. They got swag bags and applause as they crossed the threshold. Earlier, state Sen. Catherine Blakespear and San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn attended a ribbon-cutting.
The concept — a tech company leaping out from your screen and into a mall so users can try things in person and get help — isn’t new. But these stores do retail tech the Google way.
A line of customers waited for San Diego’s first Google Store to officially open it’s doors at 5:30pm. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Here are a few things to know:
It’s in San Diego
On one hand, duh. But also, this is noteworthy. With just nine other Google Stores open so far, why — besides our perfect tacos and perfect weather, of course — was this city chosen to be among the first?
Michael Camacho, Google’s retail store lead, had this to say in an email interview:
“San Diego is the eighth most populous city in the nation and a world class hub of innovation. As we continue to expand the Google Store footprint across the country, San Diego was identified as an important market to reach early on in our rollout,” Camacho wrote.
San Diego is already well known to Google: it has a corporate office in Mira Mesa.
At the special event on Thursday, under a perfectly non-gray May sky, he again noted on how dense this region is with Google users and also praised Fashion Valley, calling it a canonical U.S. mall.
Xander S. gave the game apps open Pixel phone a rundown during the grand opening of the Google Store at Fashion Valley Mall. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
It’s hands-on
Not unlike a fruit-named competitor, this tech giant has opened stores so people can touch and feel Google’s hardware and software, in the flesh. What color are the Pixel phone cases, since website colors can betray real-world pigments? Does the new folding phone fit comfortably in your hand? This is where you’ll find out all that, and more.
It’s pup-friendly
At the entrance, there’s a dog bowl niche scooped into the wall. It invites dogs to stop and sip: “Paws for a drink.”
Google’s offices are dog-friendly, and the store is no different.
It’s AI
All that stuff — how heavy a device is, which model is right for you — that’s all so 2024. Today it’s all about AI. Gemini, Google’s AI model, makes cameos throughout the store. You can test it out on phones, ask questions at a help desk, and AI-themed workshops are in the works.
Customers looked over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold phones and the Pro Buds with the help of sales associates. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
It’s for everyone
The store may offer tech advice and gadgets galore, but its warm, white oak displays whisper custom Scandi home office shelving, or maybe hotel lobby boutique — definitely not geek.
That suggests something about who the store is hoping to draw — professionals, families, people who see tech as part of a bigger lifestyle system. Or maybe it’s just a sign of how porous cutting-edge tech and home lifestyle products have become.
“I think this one’s a gem,” Camacho said, speaking of the design.
It works double time, on one hand being cozy and inviting, on the other, helping customers envision that Nest camera or thermostat in their own living rooms.
(Or an idealized version of your living room, with soaring ceilings, tech-savvy helpers floating around and clutter-free display tables.)
It’s upstairs
How to get there, based on your mall shopper profile:
If you are into upscale bohemian clothing: The Google Store is two doors to the left as you face Anthropologie.
If your mall experience revolves around the food: From the food court, take the bridge heading north and turn left. The Google Store is a few doors down, on your right.
If you are into athleisure, this one is easy. The store is next door to Vuori.
If you are an Apple customer thinking of defecting: Take the escalator nearest to the Apple Store (just outside Bloomingdale’s). Walk west, past Geppetto’s, past Banana Republic, and the store will be on your right.
San Diego’s first Google Store opened on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego, CA. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
It’s a problem solver
Also on par with other brick-and-mortar stores launched by tech companies, this store will be a destination for people with questions. Is my phone’s battery draining too fast? How do I set up this or that automation? Does this phone have a native AI agent that can replace me at work while I attend a store preview?
It’s still rare
The first Google Store opened in New York City in 2021. Five years later, there are only 10, including this one.
Why so few?
Camacho, with Google, declined to describe the company’s approach to store openings but said more Google Stores will come.
“While we aren’t sharing specifics on our real estate strategy at this time, we are thrilled to have our online Google store available across the country, and we look forward to additional strategic store locations when and where we can find the right opportunities to serve communities,” he wrote.
It’s a Pixel classroom
Every other Google store has workshops and events. If this follows that pattern, then the Fashion Valley location will introduce people to Pixel in two workshops: “Hello Pixel” and “Pixel Drops.”
“A phone that actually gets better the longer you have it? It’s not folklore, it’s Pixel. Come meet with our experts as we go through the latest and greatest Pixel Drops that actually improve your device, making it perform even better than the day you bought it,” reads one workshop description.
Customers looked over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold phones and the Pro Buds with the help of sales associates. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
It’s welcoming, not pushy
This is according to Alex Morales, who was one of the first people to enter the store. He’s a network engineer and a devoted Google fan.
Such a fan that he came to the opening on his 35th birthday. He was there to check out the buzz and research doorbells.
His love of Google devices traces back to the G1 Android phone, which came out in 2008.
He described the store as welcoming, not pushy. As for Google itself, he said, he likes the openness of its approach to technology, which is in contrast to other brands.
The store is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.