A portion of Ford Motor Co.'s new World Headquarters in Dearborn will be open to the public starting Aug. 24.
The automaker is opening its first-ever public retail store at its transformed World Headquarters campus on Oakwood Boulevard, which Ford started moving employees to last fall. The store will allow employees and the public to buy Ford-branded merchandise. Attached to the store is an area that will offer immersive experiences and exhibits about Ford's heritage and its racing history.
Ford said its store offers a glimpse at Ford's evolving brand strategy and that it is designed as a lifestyle destination with curated collections tailored to each vehicle brand's identity versus being a regular gift shop. Ford plans to rotate merchandise regularly
with seasonal vehicle launches, new collaborations and special product drops with a goal of making the store a destination that keeps people coming back.
The store is about 1,000-square feet in size. It is located on the Oakwood Boulevard side of the new World Headquarters. The immersive experience center and exhibits is nearby and occupies another 3,000 square feet.
The store will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Frida and will sell Ford-branded merchandise spanning nameplates such as Bronco, Mustang, F-150 and Ford Racing. It also will offer some merchandise from its exclusive collaborations with brands such as Filson, Carhartt and Oracle Red Bull Racing.
The store's items include clothing, collectibles, gifts, LEGO sets, drinkware and lifestyle products. Ford spokesman Dan Barbossa said prices range from $4.99 for a pen up to $198.50 for a Red Bull/Ford Racing jacket.
The Grand Opening of the public space is Aug. 24. Besides the store, Ford will offer a glimpse into a series of "immersive spaces that showcase different aspects of Ford's heritage and future," Barbossa said. Ford's archives display includes exhibits about Ford's early electric vehicle efforts and the evolution of EV technology. A Lincoln heritage space features rare artifacts and documents that trace the luxury brand's history and transformation.
Open to the public only on Monday is the Ford Racing exhibit which highlights the company's 125-year motorsports legacy and its role in developing technologies that eventually make their way into the vehicles in your driveway.
Ford executives describe the store and other exhibits as "a public extension of the company's broader workplace transformation," Barbossa said in a statement.
Ford's new world headquarters is twice the size as its former World Headquarters on Michigan Avenue, dubbed The Glass House. Ford built the new building to help the company attract talent, foster innovation, encourage collaboration and better integrate software, AI and vehicle development.
By the end of 2027, Ford expects more than 90% of its 75,000 global office employees to work in new or renovated spaces across Ford's campuses.
Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer for USA TODAY Co. who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford dedicates public space for shopping, exhibits at new headquarters
