First look: Rivian showroom opens in Gold Coast

A Rivian showroom opens in the Gold Coast today, and we got a sneak peek.

What's happening: This is the first showroom in Chicago for the Illinois-based electric truck manufacturer.

• It already has spaces in New York City, Vancouver, Seattle, and Venice, California.

The intrigue: Right down the street from luxury car showrooms on Rush Street, this is less like a dealership and more like a design store.

• Rivian already boasts that you can buy a vehicle on your cell phone, so the focus of the store isn't just selling trucks.

What they're saying: "You could come ask every question you've ever had about an electric vehicle or specifically about a Rivian truck," Rivian's Tony Caravano tells Axios.

State of play: You can reserve a vehicle or test drive a R1S or R1T truck at the store, but the dealership vibe with salespeople and rows of desks are a thing of the past.

• "Those typical moments just are not a part of the design of the customer journey," says Caravano.