• December 7, 2006

Comcast and Circuit City Stores will officially open Connect today, a retail experiment where customers can buy gadgets and schedule installation of cable TV and other services in a single shopping trip, reports the Boston Globe.

The store, based in Medford, Mass., is more electronics spa than big-box gadget supermarket, where customers can relax on stools, sip coffee, watch local cable channels on massive television screens, and work with consultants who help outfit their digital home with both hardware and content. "This is a great idea," said one shopper. "It's like rent-a-boyfriend." Two months ago, Circuit City launched firedog, an installation and troubleshooting service that helps consumers make sense of their home electronics.