The importance of physical stores for any brand cannot be overstated. They represent a marriage between a brand and the physical community it serves… a space where products move beyond transactions and become part of everyday life. That is clearly the thinking behind Nothing’s first India flagship store in Bengaluru.

The London-based tech company, led by Carl Pei, already operates a store in Soho. But Bengaluru — with its creative energy and cultural-district feel — offers something slightly different. It mirrors the kind of neighbourhood ecosystem the brand gravitates towards. For a youth-focused company, the location makes sense. The store is expected to draw young visitors in large numbers, especially to the in-house studio where they can shoot and edit bite-sized content with ease.

It also signals how Nothing wants to differentiate its retail strategy from the industry’s established giants. Apple spent decades building out its experiential retail playbook. Samsung, meanwhile, leans heavily into connected living and smart-home demonstrations at its outlets. Nothing is attempting something more intimate — part shop, part workshop, part meeting point.

When Apple opened its first retail store in Tysons Corner, Virginia, critics dismissed the move as “flawed”. At the time, no computer manufacturer had successfully run its own branded retail chain. Many believed Apple would struggle with inventory and overheads.Had Steve Jobs focused purely on aesthetics, those critics might have been vindicated.

Instead, Apple created a space where customers felt looked after long after the sale was complete. In 2001, Jobs told Chain Store Age Executive: “When I bring something home to the kids, I want to get the smile. I don’t want the U.P.S. guy to get the smile.”Nothing’s Bengaluru store seems built on a similar understanding: the experience cannot end at the cash counter.

(L-R) Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing, and Akis Evangelidis, co-founder and India president of Nothing

A store as studio, workshop and hangout

Inside the flagship, the design language feels deliberate. Industrial touches nod to 1970s factory spaces, while polished surfaces echo the meticulous finishes of Nothing’s devices. The rawness is intentional; a reminder that technology begins as an idea before it becomes an object in your hand.

“We want people to feel at ease with our products and, when they walk into the store, to feel welcome — like it’s a two-way conversation,” said Akis Evangelidis, co-founder and India president of Nothing, when we met a day before the launch on February 14. “We’re trying to be as close to people as possible.”

He describes the store less as a retail outlet and more as a platform. “It’s about giving users a new way to connect. The store represents where we stand and what we stand for.”

Elements of product development are woven into the space: from early sketches to quality-control references. Smartphones, after all, pass through multiple tests before leaving a factory floor: scratch checks, water-resistance trials, inspection lines. That journey is subtly reflected here.

“A lot of the development process is present in the store,” Evangelidis said. “But it’s also a community area. People can come in, chill, have a coffee and talk. If young creators want to shoot content, there’s space for that. We’re even offering customisation.” How? Like engraving on the phone’s chassis.

The in-house studio stands out. For aspiring creators, it lowers the barrier to experimentation. The message is clear: you don’t just buy a device here; you use it, shape it, make something with it.

“There’s a core design principle we follow,” he added. “Our products have a technical feel, but there’s always a human touch. They should feel welcoming. That approach carries into the store. The execution may differ by country, but there’s always a common thread.”

He describes the Soho store as slightly “more commercial”, whereas Bengaluru is “our first truly experiential store”.

Localisation plays a role too. A dragonfly installation inside the store is quite an attraction, but the broader brief is to spotlight emerging artists. “We want to find upcoming creatives and showcase their work. That way, we support them and build a hub for the local community,” he said.

India at the centre ofthe story

Nothing’s retail ambitions are tied to its broader growth plans. “The market is definitely shifting offline,” Evangelidis noted. “Online will always be important, but physical presence matters. You walk into a store and immediately understand what Nothing is about.”

As revenue grows, more stores will follow. “There will be allocation towards different areas — and retail is one of them. With growth, more stores. It’s straightforward.”

He also pointed to the pace of execution in India. “End to end, this took about six months. The London store, which is one-fifth the size, took around nine months. That puts it into perspective.”

India has been central to Nothing’s journey since its founding in 2020, after Carl Pei left OnePlus. Even before launching a product, the company experimented with what a community can bring.

“People could invest small amounts — even 50 bucks. The idea was simple: if you support us, you should have skin in the game,” Evangelidis said. From that early group, the company elected a community board observer who attends board meetings. “We rotate the role every year, but the first observer was from India. India has been part of our decision-making from day one — even before we had a product.”

Looking ahead, he acknowledges that hardware alone is not enough. “You can’t survive just by focusing on specs. That doesn’t build loyalty or long-term revenue streams. Services will be important. But one step at a time. For the past two years, we’ve been in hypergrowth.”

Ultimately, the ambition for Nothing’s stores goes beyond sales targets. “We want them to be community hubs,” Evangelidis said. “Places where we showcase new artists, collaborate with interesting food and beverage brands, and bring people together. We’ve always been design-forward, but creativity is at the heart of what we do.”

And that brings the story full circle. A flagship store, in this vision, is not merely a showroom. It is the physical expression of a brand’s relationship with its audience… a meeting point where commerce, creativity and community converge.