Walk into a fridge, exit Vegas: Meow Wolf's Omega Mart turns shopping into trippy immersive art

By Matthew Wexler

Vegas Week, where we skip the slots and find the actual jackpot.

Grocery shopping will never look the same after a visit to Meow Wolf’s Las Vegas outpost, Omega Mart, a 55,000-square-foot immersive playground with twisted takes on what you’d expect to find on store shelves. And once you walk through one of several refrigerator cases that lead to the Mart’s underbelly, things get topsy-turvy in the most fascinating way.

Branded as “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store,” the narrative follows the fictional, family-owned business Dramcorp, a multi-generational struggle for power, and various otherworldly elements thanks to extensive videomapping, multisensory experiences, and contributions from over 325 globally sourced artists.

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Meow Wolf's Omega Mart. Photo by Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf. — Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart. Photo by Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf.

Omega Mart’s commentary on capitalism is a bit fuzzy. Over 100 customized and purchasable items satirizing popular packaging and brands are available for purchase, yet it seems to forwarn against the dangers of consumerism. Craving a can of non-toxic gender fluid? How about a tin of economy-grade antimatter from Brookyn Superhero Supply Co.?

Gen Xers may feel like they’ve stepped into a super-sized Spencer’s, the novelty store chain popular throughout malls in the 1980s. But Omega Mart goes next level with its artist collaborations spanning hundreds of unique projects led by art director Benji Geary and creative director Emily Montoya.

Depending on your level of interest in imaginary worlds, escape rooms, and ticket package purchase, Meow Wolf Omega Mart experiences may vary. Fans of HBO’s Succession will get a kick out of patriarch Walter Dram, daughter Cecilia, and the ensuing powerplay storyline. But there’s also plenty of room for kids to run around, mesmerized by the interactive elements, secret passageways, and installations.

The anchor experience at Area 15, an off-Strip destination packed with over a dozen immersive attractions, Omega Mart takes multisensory to the next level. Give yourself permission to explore the world of its creators, bring hand sanitizer for moments between all of the tactile elements, and be sure to take a break at Datamosh, Omega Mart’s speakeasy serving quirky cocktails and mocktails. That is, if you can find it.