LONDON, England – 12 November 2019 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd opened the doors to Samsung KX – a brand new experience space located in London’s Coal Drops Yard – in July 2019, and with the opening created a new kind of retail role. Samsung KX is the latest venture by the brand as it adapts to the demands of modern consumers and looks to redefine the traditional retail concept. This includes the central role of the traditional ‘shop assistant’ – Samsung KX staff are selected on their passions, skills and personality to help bring the space to life, instead of focusing on traditional sales targets.

Creating 85 jobs for Londoners, with 166 applications for every one position on offer from a pool of 14,673 applications, Samsung KX broke the mould by looking for candidates outside of traditional tech retail roles in areas such as in hospitality, theme parks, and the entertainment sectors – people who understand how to put the customer first and can be much more theatrical in the way they engage with consumers. This allows staff to focus more on using their diverse skillsets, passions and training to bring the KX experience to life for guests and do the best job they can, showcase their personalities, and bring their unique style to their role, secondary to selling product. With some members of the team speaking up to five languages, and with others trained in signed language, the KX team makes the space accessible and open to everyone.

Samsung KX is a truly unique space which requires unique members of staff. Reinventing the role of the ‘shop assistant’, Samsung KX employed a range of multi-talented individuals, including Great Britain and national level athletes in sports including skydiving, American football, golf and swimming, barristers, performing arts professionals, photographers, broadcasters and creatives, to name a few.

To give staff freedom in their roles, Samsung KX worked closely with Mash Staffing to provide an entirely new and bespoke training programme. At a purpose-built training venue, staff were given personal and professional development training over a four-week period prior to opening. This not only ensured they were fully comfortable with Samsung KX’s new style of retail customer service, but built a sense of teamwork across the staff to tie in with the focus on community, starting inside the space.

Mash, alongside Samsung KX, explored ways to aid the development of these multitalented individuals, creating a bespoke KXi app which acts as a staff portal, where staff can experience everything from training content, weekly schedules and a wellness hub. The app encourages staff to digitally “check-in” after each shift, sharing with Mash how they are feeling and why, to help measure overall engagement. Happy staff make for better experiences and Samsung KX puts great emphasis on creating a positive experience for its guests.

Tanya Weller, Director of Samsung Showcase, KX said: “Samsung KX team members are customer experience ambassadors, who we want to feel empowered in their role and bring our showcase of products to life using their personalities. A big part of the training programme was to inspire staff with the vision for Samsung KX, and move away from a mentality of selling products – we’re doing this because we’re confident that we’ve cracked what makes retail great.”

Chris Wareham, Managing Director, Mash Staffing said: “Mash has been privileged to work with Samsung KX on their mission to redefine retail. Through combining Samsung’s attitude to innovation with Mash Staffing’s people skills we have created a unique environment where technology and human interaction meet. In response to the Samsung KX team’s eagerness to invest in people, Mash applied the latest techniques in staff training and development. We’re confident this approach will bring the future of retail to today’s world.

To learn more about the diverse range of events and experiences on offer, visit Samsung KX at London’s Coal Drops Yard, or online at www.samsung.com/uk/kx

LONDON, UK – 12 November 2019 – Communities in the King’s Cross area can get involved in a roster of inspiring events and skill-sharing workshops at Samsung KX – London’s new destination to experience the latest in culture and innovation, powered by Samsung technology.

A modern-day community hub, the space provides a free events venue for local partners to network and host performances or workshops. The space also provides a flexi-working area where guests can escape from their home or office and be inspired.

As part of this community initiative, the brand has partnered with 27 local charities and organisations to introduce new skills and add value to the local area through deep and meaningful connections.

These partnerships include:

Age UK & Mind Camden – Wellness Workshops:
The charities will be hosting fortnightly technology and photography workshops, helping to drive conversation around mental and physical wellness

Small Green Shoots – Destigmatising Mental Health:
The charity will use the space for its Fundamentals series, which focuses on discussing mental health and helping to remove negative associations

King’s Cross Speakers – Public Speaking Course:
The group hosts Toastmaster Speaker Events which aim to improve public speaking skills by boosting confidence and developing ways to command a room

Urban Development – Urban Music Takeovers:
Urban Development cultivates local urban music talent and will host industry takeovers with tastemakers, talent and fans to discuss trends within the industry

UCL: Institute of Education – Life Skills Workshops:
The only child-centred habilitation course in the UK will host workshops teaching fundamental living skills to the visually impaired

UCL: The Bartlett School of Architecture – Future-gazing Showcases:
University College London will be displaying experimental research projects at the venue, giving guests a glimpse into the future of digital technology

Tanya Weller, Director of Samsung Showcase, KX said: “Samsung KX is a destination committed to inspiring the King’s Cross community and bringing value through culture and innovation. We’re passionate about our community partnerships which are tailored to local passions, including exhibiting artwork by local artists, hosting school assemblies and running workshops that fuel the creativity of King’s Cross and help bring the community together.”

To learn more about the diverse range of events and experiences on offer, visit Samsung KX at London’s Coal Drops Yard, or online at www.samsung.com/uk/kx

LONDON, England – 2^nd August 2019 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd has opened the doors to Samsung KX – a brand new experience space located in London’s Coal Drops Yard. Samsung KX is the latest venture by the brand as it adapts to the demands of modern consumers and redefines the traditional retail concept in favour of a more multi-sensory, community-based destination.

Designed to give guests the ultimate immersive brand experience, Samsung KX is a space where people are invited to discover, interact with and learn new skills in a dynamic, innovative environment. With the world’s first vertical 10metre-wide curved Samsung screen, a unique entertainment stage and a kitchen powered by the brand’s latest connected offerings, Samsung KX offers a unique space for everything. From local talent shows and mixology sessions to yoga classes and supper clubs, it also features a dedicated gaming space ready to host tournaments, streaming events and more.

Samsung KX is an exciting new addition to the King’s Cross area, creating jobs for 88 Londoners boasting a range of skills, providing a welcome boost to employment in the local area. With the retail sector facing immense headwinds, the traditional store concept is increasingly being re-examined to stay relevant to consumers. Couple that with the exponential rise in e-commerce, the rise of ‘smart shopping’, and a demand from consumers for more flexibility when shopping, it’s clear that brands are having to do more to close the offline/online gap. Samsung KX bridges this with a focus on brand experience, the space itself, and on showcasing the company’s latest technology innovations.

Designed to capture the imagination and spirit of the King’s Cross community, Samsung KX is proud to be working with local groups that will benefit from the space. They range from charities such as Small Green Shoots and Urban Development, to community organisations and educational institutions such as Central Saint Martin’s, the National Youth Theatre and University College London.

Commenting on the launch, YH Lee, Global CMO, Samsung Electronics said: “We’re constantly evolving our business to better understand consumer behaviour and learn how to connect with people in an authentic way. History has taught us that stagnation in the retail sector has consequences, so, we have designed Samsung KX to give consumers what they want – a dynamic, flexible location where exploration is endless. Samsung KX is a place where infinite possibilities are made real through local culture, face to face learning and innovation.”

Tanya Weller, Director of Samsung Showcase, KX said: “Retail is not dead; it’s going through a period of incredible reinvention. Unlike traditional ‘stores’ where staff are trained to sell a specific product, the Samsung KX team members are customer experience ambassadors, who have had extensive training to bring our expansive portfolio of products to life in a meaningful way. We have a clear identity, focus and purpose for KX – perfectly embodied by our staff, who are encouraged to focus more on showing their personalities, rather than selling products – and we’re doing this because we’re confident that we’ve cracked what makes retail great.”

To learn more about the diverse range of events and experiences on offer, visit Samsung KX at London’s Coal Drops Yard, or online at www.samsung.com/uk/kx

LONDON, England – June 15, 2018 –  Today, Samsung Electronics and Argent announced an agreement to lease a 20,000 sq. ft. showcase space at Coal Drops Yard, the new Heatherwick Studio-designed shopping and lifestyle district in King’s Cross.

Located between two reimagined Victorian coal drops, in a top floor dual-aspect space crowned by Heatherwick Studio’s landmark ‘kissing’ rooftops, Samsung KX LDN sits at the very centre of Coal Drops Yard.

Positioned as an important consumer touch point, Samsung KX LDN will bring the latest technologies to life with curated experiences. The place will also showcase how multiple Samsung devices and services come together to deliver a complete and harmonized experience; making consumers lives easier, more convenient, and more efficient. The showcase space represents a number of unique features designed specifically for this space, envisaged as the ultimate creative and digital playground within which Samsung will present its latest and greatest technology and become the centre of excellence for customer care.

Originally London’s primary coal store, Coal Drops Yard was established in 1850 to handle the eight million tonnes of coal delivered to the capital each year. The original structures have been reinvented by the acclaimed Heatherwick Studio, which has interwoven a striking contemporary design with the surviving grand brick viaducts, cobbled streets and rich ironwork of the Victorian coal drops situated on the site. At Samsung KX LDN, Coal Drops Yard’s original exposed brick work will be maintained, combined with the vibrancy of Samsung’s technology.

The new store joins an expanding line-up of leading retailers that include Paul Smith, Tom Dixon, Cubitts, Manifesto, Cheaney, Form+ Thread and Universal Works – as well as restaurants Barrafina, Casa Pastor and wine bar The Drop – that will open at Coal Drops Yard, which will house 100,000 sq. ft. of shops and restaurants.

Younghee Lee, CMO of Samsung Electronics said: “This flagship space in the heart of Coal Drops Yard will embody the spirit and creativity of our brand and will allow visitors to see, hear, and experience all we have to offer. Samsung KX LDN represents our brand philosophy of ‘Do What You Can’t’ on a remarkable scale, pushing our imagination, design and cultural environment to the edge of what’s possible. I am excited to have this showcase to grow as a true landmark in London.”

Craig White, Project Director at Argent, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome Samsung to Coal Drops Yard. Their signing represents a real statement of intent; a first-of-a-kind for the UK, in the headline space at Coal Drops Yard. Samsung is pushing the boundaries to create something new, mirroring the approach that has informed our vision for Coal Drops Yard. We look forward to welcoming visitors from London, the UK and the rest of the world – it’s going to be very special.”

Anna Strongman, Partner at Argent, said: “We’ve long described Samsung’s space as London’s greatest shop window, a store with unbounded potential to deliver an experience unlike any other. Samsung’s embrace of the Coal Drops Yard ethos has been vital to creating this unique concept, working with Heatherwick Studio’s striking design to form an experience-led store that represents both the present and future of retail. Samsung is a global leader – a company at the top of its game – and they join a very special mix of like-minded shopkeepers, both established and emerging, that are now confirmed to open at Coal Drops Yard.”

King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership was advised by Hanover Green and Nash Bond.