Amazon subsidiary Audible is opening Audible Story House to the public today, May 1, at 260 Bowery in New York City. The more than 6,000-square-foot space, which the company described as "the first-ever bookless bookstore--a listening lounge and community hub where audio storytelling comes to life, offering a physical way to experience audio content beyond digital listening," will be in operation only until May 31.
Audible Story House "guests" can browse using physical "Story Tiles"--tactile representations of audiobooks, "just like browsing in a bookstore," Audible said. Story Tiles can be taken to six distinct listening spaces across three floors for out-loud playback or tapped on a smartphone to stream directly through the Audible app, with the full catalogue accessible digitally. "Story Tenders" at the "Listening Bar" will guide "attendees in finding the perfect audiobook." Live programming from creator panels to fan meetups to hands-on crafting activities and live music concerts, a café, and more will also be available this month.
Without irony, James Finn, Audible's global head of brand & content marketing, said, "We developed Audible Story House by asking a simple question: what does a bookstore look like without any books? The answer became a place where audio storytelling comes alive, and where people connect, celebrate what they love, and find communities that matter to them. We're giving customers a new way to experience Audible, in a place built for the way listening moves people today."