What retail apocalypse? Online home goods retailer Wayfair is opening its first namesake store, near Chicago, following a string of other digitally native companies that have turned to brick-and-mortar for growth. In an ironic twist for a company that became a $12 billion powerhouse by persuading consumers to buy couches and beds online, Wayfair is leaning into the most basic building blocks of retail. That’s because no matter how far tech has evolved, shoppers still can’t try out a new mattress from their laptops or phones. “If you think about the categories we’re in, they’re typically very visual categories, or very tactile, or, you know, considered purchases, because it’s reasonably expensive and you’re going to put a lot of care into picking the right item,” Wayfair CEO and co-founder Niraj Shah told CNBC. “Depending on what purchase someone’s making, they may prefer the in-store experience and getting to work with an associate,”…
