CHICAGO -- Verizon is hoping to encourage Chicagoans and visitors to buy more mobile devices and accessories, or at least spend hours playing with them, with the unveiling of its largest "destination" store in the Windy City this week.
The carrier opened the doors to the store, its second destination store after the Mall of America in Minnesota, on prime Michigan Avenue corner real estate over the weekend. The two-storey building houses all the smartphones and accessories you could want, along with a bevy of devices consumers might not realize Verizon Wireless offers -- things like connected soccer balls, drones, FitBits and keyholes.
The store is similar in scope -- and location -- to rival AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T)'s own experience store, opened over two years ago, but it has even more of an interactive, "hey, why don't you stay awhile to escape the cold" kind of vibe to it. (See Photos: AT&T's New Chicago Playland.)
Click on the image below to launch a short slide show of our visit to Verizon's new digs.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Editor, Light Reading
Now enjoying a brisky walk while the weather outside is completely awful is possible. Just add birds soundtracks, artificial smell of flowers, and you are done to enjoy your perfect walk. :D No more excuses for not doing minimal exercise.
-Susan