Starlink Lands in the Heartland with First Retail Store and a Vending Machine

SpaceX has chosen to open its first Starlink retail store in the Nebraska Crossing outlet mall, which comes as a surprise to residents of Gretna, a community nestled in the center of cornfields west of Omaha where internet access isn’t always guaranteed. It opened quietly in late November and inside, you’ll find only the basics, such as satellite dishes, mounting equipment, as well as branded merchandise for those who just want to show off their new broadband connection with some swag.

Staff are on hand to walk you through the whole setup process, from helping you point that dish in the right direction to checking the signal strength on the spot. And the best part is you can get up and running right away, no need to wait for some box to arrive from a warehouse on the other side of the country. The common view is that the entire process is straightforward: grab a kit, swipe your card at the counter, and you’re on your way home with everything you need to get speeds of more than 100 megabits per second in most regions. You may go in and out for $40 per month, with no limits, data caps, or commitments to worry about.

There are also vending machines, albeit the initial store still requires some human assistance to get things started. However, there is an automated system has in place at Jordan Creek Town Center’s food court in West Des Moines, Iowa. That location sells the base kit for a more reasonable $89, the lowest price yet for purchasing the hardware directly. If you activate your subscription within a week, you’ll receive an additional $100 credit, making this a relatively risk-free trial.


Expansion follows the Gretna opening, with SpaceX sending letters to members informing them of three new outposts, two in rural Nebraska and one in Sioux Falls at the Empire Mall in South Dakota. Meanwhile, Starlink job listings indicate that they have greater ambitions in the works, such as a store manager position in Bakersfield, California, where they will control the entire operation, including inventory and staff. All of this was made possible by their partnerships with major retailers such as Best Buy and Walmart, but now that they have these dedicated venues, SpaceX is in control, from low-latency gaming demos to showing customers how to mount satellite dishes even in the middle of a blizzard.

Farmers in those areas benefit the most from this technology, given that Nebraska has so many big open fields and cell service from standard carriers is scattered, whereas Starlink beams directly down from thousands of satellites zipping overhead. Having a retail presence helps to rebuild customer trust by allowing them to test out the items before making a purchase decision. Most importantly, rates are reasonable, there are no installation fees in low-traffic areas, and there are portable alternatives for RVs or work sites stranded in the woods, which is a huge advantage.
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