Tesla opens a store inside Los Angeles Nordstrom

Tesla Motors will start one of its “galleries” in Nordstrom at The Grove, the Los Angeles retail multiplex owned by billionaire real-estate magnate Rick Caruso. Tesla will include its Model X SUV inside the boutique-ish, 400-sq. foot station, and attempt to attract Nordstrom shoppers with mix-and-match interior vehicle panel display screens, along with on-site test drives with Tesla staff members.

The Tesla gallery will be open at the Nordstrom location, which amongst 38 other shops, serves as The Grove’s anchor, through the end of the year, during which time it will function as a pilot to figure out whether the automaker want to broaden their collaboration.

Nordstrom is not exactly selling the Teslas. Although ministore is staffed with Tesla employees.

“We can help you with the suit, but not the car,” stated Nordstrom spokesman Dan Evans. “We think it’s a great partnership. We love bringing great brands into the store, brands people want to see.”

Tesla states it is currently in the process of acquiring a sales permit for the gallery. Until then, if a consumer expresses the desire to make a purchase, Tesla staff members must arrange a call in between the customer and an off-premises sales partner, direct the client to the nearby certified Tesla store (it’s California, so that ‘d just be 5 miles west), or to its website, where Tesla also accepts its orders and preorders.