SkiPod, a virtual reality skiing and snowboarding simulator, has signed a lease for a 3,790-square-foot corner storefront at 572 11th Avenue in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Broker KSR handled the transaction for the mixed reality company's newest retail location.
The space sits in a prime Hell's Kitchen corner, positioning SkiPod to draw foot traffic from the neighborhood's dense residential and tourist populations. The company operates indoor VR skiing experiences, allowing users to simulate downhill runs without leaving the city. This marks one of SkiPod's first dedicated retail locations, expanding beyond earlier pop-up or limited installations.
The 572 11th Avenue address sits near the Hudson River waterfront, close to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Times Square. Foot traffic in the area runs high year-round, driven by commuters, tourists, and local residents. The corner positioning gives SkiPod visibility from multiple street directions, critical for an experiential retail concept that depends on walk-in traffic.
For Hell's Kitchen commercial real estate, the lease signals growing appetite for entertainment-focused tenants. The neighborhood has shifted toward mixed-use retail in recent years, blending traditional storefronts with experience-based businesses. SkiPod's move reinforces the trend. Landlord Eenhoorn secured a tenant for a large corner space that might otherwise struggle to attract traditional retail in a competitive market.
For consumers, the Hell's Kitchen location offers convenient access to a high-end VR experience. Weekend ski trips now compete with immersive simulators available on a weeknight. The experience typically costs less than actual ski resort day passes and requires no travel time outside Manhattan.
The deal's timing matters. Ski season peaks in winter, and Hell's Kitchen's proximity to major transit hubs means SkiP