“I’m all lost in the supermarket/ I can no longer shop happily/ I came here for that special offer/ A guaranteed personality.” Other than the part about being unhappy, these song lyrics by The Clash could have been written specifically about one of the newest, most exciting venues to open in Las Vegas for some time: Omega Mart by Meow Wolf, an otherworldly experience with personality to spare.
At first glance, it appears to be just a grocery store like any other, with brightly lit shelves popping with colorful products to stoke your impulse to buy, buy, buy.
But you quickly realize the theme here: Look closer.
As you scan the various cans, boxes, packages and bags, you see that things are not quite what they seem—and that the humorous, askew personality of Meow Wolf is absolutely everywhere. For instance, the can that you think contains peaches actually says “Canned Beaches,” with the word “Unexpectables” below it. Those “Omega Oranges”? They’re “Boneless and Seedless.” That pack of gum? It actually says “Gom.” And the green-and-white candy is labeled as “Leprechaun Kidneys.” Those packs of ramen noodles? They’re “Ramen Notes” for when you want to leave a sticky note behind for a friend. That bottle of “Tomato Milk”? It’s actually a phone charger.
The theme continues throughout the store, with large displays for bottles of medicine (they’re actually mints), fake plastic produce, and fake meat products, including “Romantic Steak Cakes,” “Tattoo Chickens” and “Great Smoky Muttons.”
At every turn, a store employee energetically informs you of the latest specials. You can also purchase an Omega Access Card, which is affectionately titled a “Boop Card.” Once you have this in hand, look for stations you can “boop” it at. Depending on the station, you’ll take a survey, answer quiz questions or find out information about the store.
Remember what we said about looking closer? That applies to the design of the store as well. You’ll quickly realize that the store is just a façade. As you explore, you’ll discover a whole world behind the scenes by crawling through a tent, slipping through a small divide in the wall, or walking into a soda refrigerator. What you’ll find beyond is a world that can only be described as Tim Burton meets David Lynch.
This part is what really pushes Omega Mart into the imagination stratosphere. This entire area is very nonlinear; you can walk anywhere you want at any time. There are hallways with seemingly endless pathways, staircases, hidden rope climbs, hidden doors, interactive displays and so much more. Along the way, marketing analysts ask you questions that make no sense (at least on the surface). But you’ll answer them anyway, because when in Rome …
And if you’re planning on visiting Meow Wolf’s other installations (there’s one in Santa Fe, N.M., and another in Denver, Colo.), you’ll find that the Omega Mart story is only the beginning.
Area15, 215 S. Rancho Drive, tickets.meowwolf.com
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