Westfield Labs co-founder strives to give shoppers the best of both worlds - the visceral and the virtual
[...] the best research happens right outside her office window, at Westfield Labs' San Francisco headquarters on the fifth floor of Westfield San Francisco Centre, where she and a team of more than 50 observe customers in their "natural habitats" shopping at some of the world's leading retailers.
Thomas helped found Westfield Labs in October 2012 to bridge the gap between digital shoppers and the physical world.
Recent projects include "digital storefronts" that allow shoppers to scroll through products on large touch-screens to discover products offered in the mall, and a collaboration with same-day-delivery service Deliv during the holiday shopping season.
The digital storefronts started with a live experiment of sorts in San Francisco, with brands like Rebecca Minkoff, Toms and Sony participating.
"San Francisco is the innovation capital of the world, and having Westfield Labs here lets us build, partner and invest in tech - and in the talent here," Thomas says.
The bar is a super-charming renovated warehouse where they have really thought about every detail.
Press Club, 20 Yerba Buena Lane.
Garibaldis, 347 Presidio Ave. This neighborhood spot is an easy place to sit at the bar on a weekday or take your best friends on the weekend.
