2025 has been a milestone year for Bang & Olufsen—one hundred years in, and the Danish design powerhouse is proving it still knows how to command attention. Founded in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, the brand has spent this year reminding everyone why its mix of industrial design and serious engineering continues to matter. The Centennial Collection arrived first, followed by three Special Edition versions of its over-the-top flagship Beolab 90: TITAN, Phantom and Mirage. It’s the kind of anniversary statement only B&O would dare make—and actually pull off.
If that wasn’t enough, Bang & Olufsen is capping its centennial victory tour with a new San Francisco flagship at 146 Geary Street—an unmistakable signal that the brand still believes in brick-and-mortar retail and, more pointedly, in the revival of Union Square. The neighborhood has taken its lumps in recent years, with crime, closures, and an exodus of longtime retailers leaving some blocks looking like a before photo waiting for its makeover. But the city is pushing hard to bring Union Square back to life, and Bang & Olufsen planting a flag there says plenty.
Bang & Olufsen isn’t just planting a flag in Union Square—it’s kicking off a full-scale California push. The San Francisco store is the first step in a broader West Coast strategy that includes new locations in Los Angeles and Palo Alto coming in 2026. For a brand that thinks in decades, not quarters, this is a clear signal: California still matters, and B&O plans to be right in the middle of its comeback.
From Jean Maraine-Jin, West Coast Market Director, Bang & Olufsen: “Union Square is a vibrant part of San Francisco’s commercial and cultural history, and we’re proud to be a part of the district’s revitalization… Investing here reflects our confidence in the city, the strength of the market, and the enduring importance of physical retail experiences and the human connection they foster.”
A New San Francisco Destination for Music, Design, and Culture
With 5,100 square feet spread across two floors, the new Union Square store is built to feel less like a showroom and more like the kind of home most of us wish we lived in. It’s an intimate, hands-on space where Bang & Olufsen’s award-winning speakers and OLED TVs aren’t just displayed—they’re staged in curated, lived-in vignettes that quietly whisper, yes, your apartment could look like this… if you sold a kidney.
Guests can wander at their own pace, dive into guided demos, or sink into full listening and viewing sessions that actually show what the gear can do. It’s a purposeful setup: immersive enough to make you forget you’re in a retail space, but smart enough to remind you why B&O still commands the luxury conversation.
Key features of the Bang & Olufsen Store include:
A customization lab where guests can turn headphones and speakers into personalized keepsakes via laser-engraved monograms, messages, or dates — because nothing says “treat yourself” like branding your luxury gear.
A sculptural staircase that doubles as a gallery wall for original art by JGoldcrown, leading to a tiled coffee bar where clients can dive into the Atelier Program’s bespoke customization options. Yes, your espresso now comes with a side of design envy.
A design resource center for homeowners, architects, and interior designers, complete with integrated smart-home automation support for those who like their living rooms as polished as their signal paths.
A cultural hub for Union Square, offering live performances from local musicians, vinyl listening nights, film screenings, speaker series, and other community events — exactly the kind of programming the neighborhood has been starving for.
Scandinavian Roots, San Francisco Revival
The store highlights Bang & Olufsen’s Scandinavian roots and century-long design heritage while acknowledging San Francisco’s architectural character—what’s left of it after the previous leadership let the city unravel under a mix of hands-off policing, unchecked street crime, and policies that sent businesses fleeing. The new mayor is at least fighting to pull the city back from the brink, and Union Square is one of the biggest tests of that effort. Designed by B&O’s in-house team, the space leans into the brand’s signature aluminum finishes, warm wood textures, and subtle nods to the moon shape in its iconic logo. Even the original brick wall remains—a reminder that preservation, when done intentionally, still matters.
Inside, the layout is immersive, luxurious, and unapologetically personal. Visitors move through dedicated listening and viewing zones that showcase the full Bang & Olufsen portfolio. Heritage artwork, modern furniture, and fully integrated sound systems shape listening spaces that feel like actual living rooms—ironically, the kind of calm, functional environments San Francisco spent years struggling to maintain. At least here, order and intention win out.
Bang & Olufsen Goes Big
The Union Square location will officially be the largest Bang & Olufsen store to date, a statement in both scale and timing. It leads a broader California rollout that continues with a 4,000-square-foot West Hollywood store and a 3,200-square-foot Palo Alto location in the Stanford Shopping Center, both slated for 2026. It’s a clear sign that B&O sees long-term opportunity in a state still trying to shake off the fallout of the past decade.
All three California stores are being developed in partnership with ASBC Inc., a global luxury retail operator under the ASBIS Group (WSE: ASB), a tech-driven company with a deep footprint across international markets. Their involvement underscores that this expansion isn’t a one-off splash but a coordinated strategy built to last.
The San Francisco flagship will also be the first to host three of the five limited-edition speakers created by Bang & Olufsen’s Atelier to mark the company’s centenary: the Beolab 90 Anniversary Editions Mirage, TITAN, and Phantom. It will be the first time all Special Edition versions of the Beolab 90—and, by extension, the original—are displayed together under one roof. For a brand that treats design and engineering like high art, this isn’t just a product showcase; it’s a museum moment.
The Bottom Line
Bang & Olufsen is taking a real gamble here, and that’s worth acknowledging. In a financial climate where tariffs have jacked up costs across the board and high-end audio retail is anything but a growth sector; with the notable exception of our friends at Audio Advice, who continue to dominate the South and are already expanding their footprint into key Midwest markets—most brands are tightening their belts, not opening massive flagship stores in cities still clawing their way back.
B&O’s gear isn’t cheap, and the brand earned plenty of criticism over the past decade for leaning too hard on aesthetics and not enough on substance. But the recent product lineup tells a different story. Based on our experience, they’re steering the ship back toward serious engineering and real performance.
Opening the largest Bang & Olufsen store ever, in Union Square of all places, is a bold bet that both the city and the luxury audio market can rebound. If they keep building products with the same renewed focus we’ve seen lately, it may just pay off.
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