Rivian has signed a lease in Brooklyn for its first New York City retail store. The group will be opening a flagship in Williamsburg, according to a statement on Monday. The lease at 360 Wythe Ave. spans more than 12,000 square feet and will be a showroom for electric vehicles.
Williamsburg's retail corridors have stayed busy during the pandemic according to Automotive News.
Rivian, which is building out the former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois, for manufacturing, is also creating showrooms in Chicago and the Los Angeles area. The electric vehicle startup is preparing to deliver its first batch of Launch Edition R1T pickups and R1S SUVs as early as June, according to the Pantagraph.
The company is seeking to sell directly to consumers and not use dealers.
Rivian, which is now valued at $27.6 billion, has numerous backers including Amazon, T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. and more. The group has begun to rival companies like Tesla within the electric vehicle market.
Source: Tech Crunch, Auto News, The Pantagraph
