Google opening up six Winter Wonderlabs retail stores

Pop-up stores will let users play with Google gadgets, including the Nexus 7, but not Google Glass

If there is one thing that I miss about living in New York City, it's the Christmas season. I don't even celebrate the holiday, but it's still my favorite time of the year. 

Happily for me, I'll be heading home in a couple of weeks, and I've already got some big plans lined up. They include tickets to see the Book of Mormon on Broadway and a coupon to finally try a Cronut. And, now, it looks I might just have to add one more item to my itinerary: a stop at the Google pop up store in Bryant Park.

The store is one of six showrooms Google is opening up, called Winter Wonderlabs, all around the country.

Despite what you probably thought at first, no, the barge that Google is building in the San Francisco Bay is not going to be one of its pop up stores, despite the fact that it was recently revealed that it was going house luxury showrooms and a party deck for Google to promote its new products. In fact, it is not even opening a Winter Wonderlab in the Bay Area.

In addition to New York, they will also be in Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Sacremento. Ok, so maybe "all around the country" doesn't accurately describe it. More like, pretty much only on the east and west coasts.

Six locations for this type of thing seems awfully low, doesn't it? And they are not even going to feature the gadget that most people would likely be excited by: Google Glass.

Instead, Google seems more interested in showing off their smartphones, tablets and computers.

The stores will be a way for Google to promote some of its new products, including the Nexus 7, which itdebuted a little over a year ago, Google Chromecast, Chromebook and the Google Play store.

Users can play with the devices, but will not be able to buy them directly. Instead, they will have to order them online, something they that can do from the store.

In addition to the products, those who visit the store will be able to go into a giant Snow Globe, complete with fake snow (because what else could you want to do after getting out of the real snow than go right into fake snow?) to take videos of themselves that they can then save and share. 

There is no word on when exactly these stores will be opening up, or if Google has plans for any more of them, but I have to say that without letting people get their hands on Google Glass, this is already looking like a missed opportunity for the company.

Check out this video Google included to promote the stores: