Omega Mart is open and it’s giving your usual grocery store ‘trip’ a whole new meaning.
Stepping into this conceptual grocery store is like dropping into Willy Wonka’s factory but with an Alice in Wonderland twist. Kaleidoscopic aisles are brimming with surreal products that blur the line between art and grocery store items. Omega Mart has declared itself “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store” and it’s easy to see why. If you’re up for a little ‘trip’ you can head to the dreamworld in AREA 15 arts complex in Las Vegas, Nevada, but be warned, you’ll never be able to look at shopping the same way again.
Just like any market, the space is divided up into different sections. In this case, you’ll find four themed areas that range from twisted neon labyrinths to an intergalactic garden landscape with over 250 unique projects. The brains behind this trippy retail experience is the Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf who are also responsible for the interactive installation House of Eternal Return, in New Mexico. To bring Omega Mart to life, the team collaborated with over 300 international musicians, storytellers, and creators. That includes the likes of Brian Eno, Amon Tobin, Android Jones, Shrine, and Beach House.
As you enter, the surroundings may resemble a standard grocery store with rows of shelves lined with goods all lit up with aggressive fluorescent lighting. Although, this is a more exciting, fun-filled, retro version. You’ll snake through the fresh produce section and marvel at items that look like they’re straight out of a Men In Black set. After you’ve stocked up on essentials like Tattoo Chicken, Nebula Loaf, or Whale Song deodorant, you’ll make your way to the frozen goods, where you’ll find a freezer door stacked with beers. This is your portal to another world.
Go beyond the faux fridge and get sucked into an immersive museum environment with an enthralling narrative centered around an energy called The Source, which has been neatly packaged by Omega Mart and sold to unsuspecting Americans. ‘Shoppers’ are guided through the story with interactive installations, sound, film, and digital content that took 13 loving years of work. Of course, with Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin as contributor and backer, you can also expect some shocking plot twists.
Each level brings visitors deeper into Dramcorp’s universe, the entity behind Omega Mart with headquarters in another dimension. You’ll explore the corporate identity inspired by the 1982 Tron film, wander through the Factory where all Omega Mart products are produced, and then step into the Projected Desert filled with psychedelic projections and towering flowers.
If your world starts to spin like you’re in one of Hunter S. Thompson’s hallucinatory scenes, you can place yourself at the bar and sip on a classic like the “Meowjito.”
Tickets start at $45 for general admission and $40 for children, seniors, and the military. Bookings can be made through the Omega Mart website.
Location: 3215 S Rancho Dr #100
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