Nokia to open stores in the US

PC Magazine notes that Nokia (NYSE: NOK) is planning to open stores in the US. A “flagship store” will be opened in Chicago on June 21, with a New York store in the “Fifth Avenue region” opening before the end of 2006. Both stores will sell phones not available directly through US carriers.

The stores will sell Nokia’s full North American product lines, including high-end Nseries phones.

This is a turning point in phone retailing in North America. Cell phone manufacturers in the US generally don’t sell direct – the vast majority of phones are sold through carriers’ stores and “indirect dealers” like Amazon, Wirefly, and CompUSA, where they’re heavily discounted and bundled with service plans.

Nokia has dabbled with direct sales in the past through its Web site, but they’re getting more aggressive now. They’ve already sold their 7300-series fashion phones through unusual channels at Nieman-Marcus and Bloomingdales department stores, and the N90 cameraphone was sold at Ritz Camera. They’re now going to sell more phones through more independent dealers, and open their own branded stores.

According to a report in the Chicago Tribune last October, the store will take up 3,500 square feet at 545 N. Michigan Avenue (location is not confirmed from Nokia).

Author of the article concludes that such store worked for Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), why shouldn’t it work for Nokia. And… I agree.