In a North American first, Google Canada has opened a large-scale ‘shop within a shop’ at Best Buy Stores in four Canadian cities, featuring video walls that promote its hardware products, including mobile phones, virtual reality (VR) systems and media streaming devices.

Unveiled late last month in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Mississauga, Ont., the Google shops are part of Best Buy’s redesigned ‘experience stores.’ A coast-to-coast renovation plan saw a variety of upgrades, including 10 smaller Google shops that were introduced in October before the new, more immersive retail spaces opened.

Among the video walls are Portal displays (pictured left) that allow customers to ‘fly’ anywhere on the planet through Google Earth. They can also interact with the screens through Google apps.

“The concept aims to enhance traditional shopping,” says Janell Fischer, Google’s director of retail marketing. “These shops bring a whole new way for people to experience and interact with our products, complete with trained Google guides who will be on-site to offer one-on-one tech help.”