AT&T opens store of the future in Sarasota near Mall at University Town Center

Sarasota will become the fifth city in Florida to house AT&T's new store of the future concept.

The store at 215 N. Cattlemen Road across from The Mall at University Town Center will open Saturday. The Sarasota store, along with stores in Jupiter, Orlando, Miami and Tampa, offers customers the opportunity to experience products in different lifestyle scenarios.

"It's really all about the customer experience," AT&T spokesperson Karen McAllister said. "You go through each section based on the kind of experience you would have with that device. It's really geared toward the customer not just going in to shop but to really get that feel and experience the product."

The Sarasota store will offer three zones: the Connected Experience Zone, featuring everyday music, home security and entertainment scenarios customers encounter while using AT&T products; the Community Zone, where customers can experiment with apps, accessories and devices on display; and the Explore Zone that showcases AT&T's devices and accessories complemented by digital monitors with product information.

The store of the future in Sarasota will no longer include traditional cash registers. Instead, each AT&T retail consultant will be able to help customers with purchases throughout the store with a point-of-sale equipped tablet. Customers will have the opportunity sit with consultants at a roundtable-style setup to ask questions.

AT&T has 68 stores of the future open nationwide, McAllister said.

The design of the Florida stores is based on AT&T's flagship store of the future on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "AT&T opens store of the future in Sarasota near Mall at University Town Center."