Meta is making a long-term push into brick-and-mortar retail, signing a 10-year lease to turn its Fifth Avenue Meta Lab into a permanent flagship store in Midtown Manhattan, the New York Post reports.

The company said Wednesday that its space at 697 Fifth Ave., which debuted as a pop-up in November, will now serve as a showcase for its AI glasses and virtual reality lineup.

Meta Lab is designed as an immersive, hands-on experience where visitors can try AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses, explore virtual worlds through Meta Quest and interact with other Reality Labs hardware.

“We’re proud to make a long-term commitment to Fifth Avenue, the heart of US retail,” Meta executive Matt Jacobson said in a statement.

The store leans heavily into New York culture, featuring installations tied to the city’s skate scene and collaborations with local artists.

Highlights include an archival wall developed with Zoo York, artwork from Zered Bassett’s “Paper Skaters” series, and an interactive gallery curated by Evan Mock.

The space also includes a coffee bar serving drinks from Buddies Coffee Roasters.

Not everyone is convinced the flagship will translate into strong sales.

“Sunglass Hut is selling more Ray-Ban Metas before noon on a Tuesday than this store will sell all week,” said Bob Phibbs, CEO of retail consulting firm The Retail Doctor. “Meta knows that. This location is a press release with a lease.”

Meta says each Meta Lab location is shaped by its neighborhood and will evolve over time, with the New York flagship expected to reflect both local and broader cultural trends.

The Manhattan store is part of a wider Meta Lab rollout that includes locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Honolulu and Burlingame, California.

The company has pointed to strong demand for in-person demos, particularly for products like Meta Ray-Ban Display and the Meta Neural Band.

Meta’s retail expansion comes as it refines its broader New York footprint. The company now has about 5,000 employees in the city, anchored by its 1.5 million-square-foot headquarters at 50 Hudson Yards, along with major offices at the Farley Building and 770 Broadway.

After layoffs and cost-cutting in recent years, Meta has consolidated its office space — but its new Fifth Avenue flagship signals a renewed investment in physical retail presence.