Ambitious blockchain project Solana is about to open a physical store in New York’s Hudson Yards neighbourhood, in a move aimed at teaching more people about Web3.
Images and videos of the glitzy shopfront have begun appearing on social media, with a Twitter account called ‘Solana Spaces’ revealing it will be open for business “very soon”.
“Welcome to the world of Solana, IRL (in real life) ,” Solana Spaces announced alongside the “first visual” of what the store will look like.
“Spaces is everyone’s first crypto friend,” it said.
“Inside, you’ll learn how Solana works (and) what Web3 is. We’ll set you up with a wallet and your first NFTs, and guide you through your first on chain transactions.”
Solana Spaces says the store will be like a “cultural center” or “embassy” for Solana, which is currently the ninth most valuable cryptocurrency in the world by market cap.
“We’ll be an event host, a launchpad, and a purveyor of Solana culture – including a whole new set of merch, and frequent limited edition collaborations with brands in and outside of crypto.
“We are so excited to show you this in-person, and share more about the future. There’s a LOT more than meets the eye.”
So far, the store has only been open to ‘preview visitors’, including one who apparently brought his wife and mom.
“This is the best way to use the space,” Solana Spaces said.
“People were knocking down the doors to come in. This is gonna be big.”
One visitor posted on social media: “Just left @solanaspaces. No words to describe it other than BULLISH. The location in NYC is insane. Picture a boutique clothing store with interactive experiences at each display area. Steadily on-boarding new users.”
The price of Solana, like most cryptocurrencies, has taken a major hit in recent months.
At the time of publication it was trading at US$35 , which is 86% down on its all-time-high of $259.