Raspberry Pi opens first High Street store in Cambridge
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The team behind the pocket-sized Raspberry Pi computer is opening its first high street store in the city where it was invented.
In a move bucking the online retail trend, the company will open an “experimental space” in Cambridge.
The firm will also now offer a new starter kit of parts – to accompany the popular tiny computer.
Founder Eben Upton said he hoped the shop would attract customers who were “curious” about the brand.
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Raspberry Pi
An official keyboard and mouse will be sold at the store as part of a starter kit for programmers
The store opens in Cambridge’s Grand Arcade shopping centre on Thursday.
It will offer merchandise and advice on the use of the popular computer, which measures 3.4in by 2.1in (8.6cm by 5.3cm) and is designed to encourage people to try coding and programming.
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Raspberry Pi
The store will offer merchandise as well as a starter kit for new Raspberry Pi users
The computer was the brainchild of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, established by a group of Cambridge scientists in 2006.
Raspberry Pi – which resembles a motherboard with ports and chips exposed – was launched in 2012, principally as an educational tool for programming.
It has now sold 25 million units globally and remains the best selling British computer.
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Raspberry Pi Foundation
Previous Pi models have required owners to find their own accessories including a mouse and keyboard
Mr Upton, chief executive of Raspberry Pi Trading, said the store would give “a loyal and highly engaged community” another way to interact with the company and its products.
“There’s always a risk you can get complacent about your customers, but a physical store means we have a place for people, who are curious about Raspberry Pi, to experience it,” he said.
The new all-in-one Raspberry Pi starter kit will include a mouse, keyboard and cables.
Mr Upton said it contained everything “apart from the television”.