pilot shop; test-market store
A retail outlet opened temporarily or on a trial basis to gauge consumer response before a wider launch. Often used in marketing contexts. Compare アンテナショップ, which may focus more on brand promotion.
wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English), from pilot shop
See also: アンテナショップ
We opened a pilot shop downtown to see how customers respond to the new product.
If sales at the pilot shop are good, we'll consider a nationwide rollout.