Shaquille O'Neal becomes an investor and brand ambassador for Tm:rw, a Manhattan store selling innovative gadgets, games, toys, robotics, and smart home products. O'Neal, known for his NBA career, was drawn to the store's unique experience and spent considerable time and money there.
Queen Elizabeth’s Dresses, Hats and Jewels Dazzle at New Buckingham Palace ShowShaquille O’Neal has a new favorite store, but he regards it as much more than just another retail format. “It’s not a store.
It’s an experience — and that’s what I love about this partnership,” said O’Neal, disclosing that he’s become an investor in and brand ambassador for Tm:rw, a store in Manhattan’s Times Square selling innovative, futuristic gadgets; games; toys; robotics, and smart products for the home. The 7-foot, 1-inch O’Neal played for seven NBA teams and was among the most dominant basketball centers ever.Shaq Says Reebok Is in Discussions With Steph Curry as He Looks for a Potential New Sneaker Deal Seated with Nathalie Bernce, cofounder and chief executive officer of Tm:rw at a press meeting Thursday night at the store, O’Neal told WWD how he happened to get involved in what’s still a little-known retail concept, with just one freestanding store in the U.S., a handful of shops-in-shop inside European department stores including Selfridges in London, KaDaWe in Berlin and Rinascente in Rome, and an e-commerce site. Tm:rw is pronounced “tomorrow” and its unorthodox spelling is designed to evoke a digital clock.“A friend of mine who knows that I’m all about innovation and technology, gadgets and toys told me, ‘you’ve got to see the store. There’s nothing like it.’ He said it’s like Sharper Image times 1,000. I said, ‘all right, next time I’m in New York, I’ll come by.’ So I did.” O’Neal expected to spend 15 minutes in the store, which is located in the historic Candler Building at 220 West 42nd Street, but ended up spending two-and-a-half hours. “I haven’t been in one store that long since FAO Schwarz,” O’Neal said. He spent thousands of dollars on products that day, but as he was exploring the three-level, 22,000-square-foot space, he felt the presence of a woman standing behind him. “I finally say, may I help you?” She just happened to be Bernce, the CEO. They went to her office, had a conversation. “Then I politely asked, I would love to be your partner and help get the word out about the store,” O’Neal recalled. As far as the size of his investment in Tm:rw, O’Neal wouldn’t say, other than indicating it’s a minority stake. The deal was concluded in late March. “I don’t like talking money, because if my mother read about it, I wouldn’t want her to think I’m bragging. She doesn’t like me talking about money. I just wanted to be a part of this. We will be expanding Tm:rw, especially in the U.S. And I just want to help get the word out. When I invest, I don’t do it for money. I do it because I believe in the product, and I invest in stuff that’s going to change people’s lives. I got a lot of money. I have plenty of money. I’m just doing it for the kids, showing them how it’s done. But I don’t like saying I put in a million or something because it means nothing. “This is not a money play like SpaceX, Google, or ABG. Those are money plays. This is just, ‘I believe in you. Can I help you get the word out?’ I did the same thing when I met with Jamie from Ring. I was like, ‘Jamie, you have a great product in Best Buy, but not everybody knows about it. Use me and this face to let the world know about it.’ So Tm:rw will use me and this beautiful face and the whole world is going to know about Tm:rw.” On a semi-related topic, O’Neal confirmed he’s the second-largest individual shareholder in Authentic Brands Group, the huge brand management firm. His partnership with Tm:rw was brought together by Mike Heller of Talent Resources in collaboration with Authentic. In 2015, O’Neal sold the rights to his name and likeness to ABG, becoming a key partner and helping curate Authentic’s portfolio, including advocating for its acquisitions of Reebok and Champion. He leads the Reebok basketball division as its president. ABG signed off on O’Neal’s involvement with Tm:rw, and has also invested in Tm:rw. Asked what type of brands Authentic is considering to add to its vast portfolio, O’Neal essentially took the Fifth. “Being on championship teams means you’ve got to have great teammates. At ABG, I got Jamie Salter,” the chairman and CEO. “He’s a visionary. He takes my advice every now and then, and he’s just looking to expand. I remember when I first got there, I was begging him to buy Reebok. We purchased Reebok, and now Reebok is super successful. He’s bought a couple skateboard brands. So now, having a guy like that who is smarter than you, is always good for me.” O’Neal also acknowledged he advocated for Authentic’s purchase of Champion. Regarding what brands Authentic could pursue for the future, O’Neal said, “I wish I was the guy that can answer that. When you are on a team, you’ve got to be a team player. I don’t want to say the wrong thing.” Separately, Authentic revealed that O’Neal has become commissioner of Dunkman, a professional league with TNT Sports, in partnership with Eli Lilly and Co., providing top dunkers a platform to showcase their talent. The inaugural Dunkman season will feature 24 great dunkers competing for the title of Dunkman World Champion and a grand prize of $500,000. O’Neal was asked which team he thinks can win the National Basketball Association championship, and if the New York Knicks have a chance. “I’m a Knicks fan too,” he said. “Their future depends on one player, Karl-Anthony Towns. Jalen Brunson is playing great, but you need a one-two punch. So if Karl-Anthony Towns plays great, the Knicks definitely have a shot. The Boston Celtics probably will come out of the East and OKC will come out of the West and it will probably be Boston versus OKC,” in the NBA finals. “But if Karl-Anthony Towns plays out of this world, the Knicks can beat Boston.”For Tm:rw, it’s a coup to land O’Neal as brand ambassador. He’s widely popular as a sports legend and entrepreneur, and has a global presence spanning business, media, philanthropy, culture, as well as in sports. Bernce said the vision is to expand Tm:rw, initially in the U.S. with five to 10 freestanding locations, hopefully with a rollout beginning the fourth quarter this year. She declined to specify any locations. “When people think about discovering innovation, I want them to think about Tm:rw,” she said. “So we need to be in the most iconic and best cities around the world. “From our first meeting with Shaquille in our Times Square store, it was clear we share a strong passion for innovation, building a future where technology and culture unite to inspire audiences worldwide,” Bernce said. “His involvement accelerates our mission to become the global home of innovation.”Tm:rw’s Times Square store has over 120 brands and an immersive, interactive environment — from Formula 1 driving simulators and advanced robotics including Astro the robotic dog and the Adam coffee robot with a dedicated ordering window, to electric razors mapping facial contours for better shaves; smart toasters programmable for waffles, Pop Tarts and grilled cheese sandwiches; smart eyeglasses with a tele-prompting feature, and face masks with red and blue LED lighting for reducing wrinkles and acne. Shaq’s AI-powered avatar/hologram, considered the largest holographic display in any retail location, was introduced Thursday. “The first time I came to Tm:rw, before we became partners, I spent $8,000 in the store,” O’Neal said. “In London, $20,000. And today, it’s probably been $5,000. And I pay for my stuff. I don’t want them to give me anything for free.”Luisa Zargani Michael Jordan's Air Jordan 5 'White Metallic' Is Coming Back With a New Detail for the First Time Ever Nike's Covering Its Classic Air Force 1 in Denim for Latest Ja Morant…. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the GoogleWWD and Women's Wear Daily are part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 Fairchild Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Shaquille O'neal Tm:Rw Retail Gadgets Investment
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump confirms CIA 'Ghost Murmur' tool was ‘very important’ to find airman in Iran — as experts debate how it worksThe CIA used a futuristic new tool called “Ghost Murmur” to find and rescue the second American airman who was shot down in southern Iran, The Post has learned.
Read more »
Stanford Medicine Cancer Center to launch proton therapy system for targeted cancer treatmentIn a futuristic room at the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center, a volunteer recently stepped into what the hospital describes as a first-of-its-kind device. The system delivers proton therapy, a specialized form of radiation.
Read more »
Next-gen contact lenses promise futuristic eye-tracking without pricey gearTech Product Reviews, How To, Best Ofs, deals and Advice
Read more »
Hyundai Reveals Venus and Earth Concepts with Striking DesignsThe Venus and Earth both wear crisp bodywork with pod-like shapes and futuristic, minimalist cabins.
Read more »
NASA Astronauts Blast Futuristic ‘Organ Chips’ Into SpaceThe chips offer a granular look at when radiation and microgravity begin to affect human health.
Read more »
3 Best Movies To Watch On Disney+ This Weekend (#1 Is Sci-Fi Epic With Futuristic Visuals)A rocket about to take off in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Read more »