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The first Porsche Studio on the East Coast opened in a mall outside of Philadelphia, P.A. around the holidays last year. This Studio is the third of its kind in the country. More will be coming, but not just from Porsche. Other luxury automakers are following a similar trend of trying to make their brands more accessible to more consumers.
On February 6, the Porsche Studio in King of Prussia, P.A. held its formal grand opening event that had several Porsche VIPs in attendance, including Joe Lawrence, the chief operating officer for Porsche Cars North America. The Pennsylvania location is the third Studio, following others in Portland, O.R., and San Diego, C.A.
To learn more about the Porsche Studio concept, Road & Track sat down with Lauren Waldrop, the general manager of Porsche Conshohocken and the Porsche Studio King of Prussia. Waldrop succinctly summed up the studio concept in six words: “Meet the customers where they are."
Waldrop believes that for many people, making a dedicated trip to a Porsche dealership can be an intimidating experience. But if someone is walking through a mall and just happens to see a Porsche store, it's likely more inviting to stop in without feeling pressured to buy a car.
“The Porsche Studio is meant to be a gathering place that attracts younger people, women, and consumers that are already loyal to another automotive brand," Waldrop said. "These groups are the least likely to go to a traditional Porsche dealership."
The Porsche Studio is not a traditional dealership. It feels more like an upscale café that happens to have a 911 Dakar inside. You walk in, grab a cup of coffee, or a bottle of water, sit at the bar, and just chill out for as long as you like. From our experience visiting the King of Prussia location, there is zero sales pressure or expectations that you buy a car. The idea is to just get you introduced to the brand. It is there to warm you up to the Porsche lifestyle.
“It is about brand introduction and making people feel at ease,” said Waldrop.
Of course, there's also an opportunity for merchandise sales. And, who knows? Maybe if you buy a Porsche mug today, that'll turn into a new 911 a few years down the road. To that end, you will find inside the studio a large merchandise section that carries significantly more selection than a typical dealership. The studio also partners with local artists and always has a rotating display of Porsche-themed artwork. The display of cars, merchandise, and artwork is always changing.
“If you come here once, don’t think that you saw it all,” Waldrop said.