Unlike many other countries, the United States has few retail outlets dedicated to handsets, as phones are generally sold through the wireless carriers. Sure, Apple sells its iPhone direct to consumers and Nokia sells unlocked GSM phones at its flagship stores but these examples are mere exceptions to the rule. Thus, if you want to try out every model of BlackBerry on the market, you’ll have to run around town to your local Sprint, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile stores…that is, unless you live in the Detroit metropolitan area. RIM has partnered with Michigan wireless retailer Wireless Giant to open the world’s first BlackBerry store, in Farmington Hills, Michigan. At the store, you can buy BlackBerry handsets, accessories and add-ons and can even activate your phone with service from one of the big four. Employees at the store will be trained to offer advice to customers as well as tutorials on how to use the devices. “It’s a concept store and we don’t know where it’ll go from here,” said Nadine Stafford, marketing director for Wireless Giant. “There’s no (plans for) other stores at this point.”

For more on the first BlackBerry retail store:
– see this Detroit News article