# Google Street View expanding to inside stores **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 30, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618 "2013-10-30T02:37:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/1 "2013-10-30T02:37:19Z")
So I was on Google Street View today, and I somehow tripped [upon this](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=charisma,+North+Cass+Avenue,+Westmont,+IL&hl=en&ll=41.812555,-87.975372&spn=0.010268,0.016512&sll=41.812475,-87.975211&sspn=0.0103,0.016512&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.812582,-87.975367&panoid=_tLXbTEqXogAAAQJOEvP5Q&cbp=12,358.64,,0,16.61). (I wasn’t actually looking for that store, just dragged the street view icon into the parking lot and ended up there.) All of a sudden, I found myself inside a store, being able to walk through it. When I walked back out to the parking lot, I didn’t really have much of a choice, and couldn’t exactly walk around. Then I Googled around and found [this story.](http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/money/business_news/google-is-allowing-streetview-map-users-to-walk-inside-stores-and-restaurants) Did anyone else know about this? Did I just miss the story about this? It’s kind of cool, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/2 "2013-10-30T11:45:54Z")
Google’s just trying to compete with Second Life, it looks like. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/3 "2013-10-30T12:16:04Z")
I’ve accidentally ended up in a few stores and libraries and parks on Google Street View over the last year or two. My favourite was Legoland UK with its [special guest star](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=legoland+uk&hl=en&ll=51.464983,-0.649856&spn=0.00629,0.011276&hq=legoland+uk&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.464918,-0.649681&panoid=JZxFeG7X-6i0FJ4ffR5sWw&cbp=12,50.26,,2,5.99). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/4 "2013-10-30T12:33:11Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > So I was on Google Street View today, and I somehow tripped [upon this](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=charisma,+North+Cass+Avenue,+Westmont,+IL&hl=en&ll=41.812555,-87.975372&spn=0.010268,0.016512&sll=41.812475,-87.975211&sspn=0.0103,0.016512&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.812582,-87.975367&panoid=_tLXbTEqXogAAAQJOEvP5Q&cbp=12,358.64,,0,16.61). Hey man, from what I know about you that dress really isn’t your color. Just sayin’. I could see this someday evolving into the ability to ‘walk’ into a virtual store, click on an item on the shelf and purchase it to be shipped to your home. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/5 "2013-10-30T12:57:03Z")
I can’t get my IPad to give me an exact link but if you’re a fan of Doctor Who there’s a TARDIS at Earls Court in London that you can walk into and explore. If you look at the map you’ll notice 2 that there are 2 blue lines on the road at that point so click on the line closest to the police box to be able to walk inside. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/6 "2013-10-30T15:13:11Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Hey man, from what I know about you that dress really isn’t your color. Just sayin’. > > I could see this someday evolving into the ability to ‘walk’ into a virtual store, click on an item on the shelf and purchase it to be shipped to your home. Works for me. Hah! I did find it kind of cool. I was actually trying to find the name of an Indian grocery store in that plaza, and I dragged the Street View icon into the parking lot, hoping it might have some view of the lot, when I ended up in an Indian dress shop and thought, hey…what the hell? A car can’t fit in here. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/7 "2013-10-30T15:14:47Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I’ve accidentally ended up in a few stores and libraries and parks on Google Street View over the last year or two. My favourite was Legoland UK with its [special guest star](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=legoland+uk&hl=en&ll=51.464983,-0.649856&spn=0.00629,0.011276&hq=legoland+uk&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.464918,-0.649681&panoid=JZxFeG7X-6i0FJ4ffR5sWw&cbp=12,50.26,,2,5.99). Hah! That is pretty cool. Nice little easter egg. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/8 "2013-10-30T15:20:05Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > I can’t get my IPad to give me an exact link but if you’re a fan of Doctor Who there’s a TARDIS at Earls Court in London that you can walk into and explore. If you look at the map you’ll notice 2 that there are 2 blue lines on the road at that point so click on the line closest to the police box to be able to walk inside. [Right here.](https://maps.google.com/maps?expflags=enable_star_based_justifications:true&ie=UTF8&cid=12502927659667388442&q=Police+Telephone+Box&iwloc=A&gl=US&hl=en-US) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/9 "2013-10-30T18:36:55Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I could see this someday evolving into the ability to ‘walk’ into a virtual store, click on an item on the shelf and purchase it to be shipped to your home. Works for me. There really are virtual stores like that at Second Life. ETA: See [Official Site | Second Life - Virtual Worlds, Virtual Reality, VR, Avatars, and Free 3D Chat](http://secondlife.com/whatis/create/merchants/) for info about it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/10 "2013-10-30T18:42:00Z")
A local place in my neighborhood got in on the fun. We have a really big Halloween tradition here, so they got in the spirit. [https://maps.google.com/maps?safe=off&q=wyliepalooza’s+ice+cream+emporium&ie=UTF-8&ei=wVJxUuDhF-nkyQHjt4DoAg&ved=0CAgQ\_AUoAg](https://maps.google.com/maps?safe=off&q=wyliepalooza's+ice+cream+emporium&ie=UTF-8&ei=wVJxUuDhF-nkyQHjt4DoAg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/11 "2013-10-30T20:37:58Z")
I accidentally did this the other day. Hit the arrow to leave the store to get out to the street. But then the only arrow available was to go back into the store. No arrows for moving along the street. So, zoom out, drag again. Definitely something they need to fix ASAP, given how easy it is to miss dragging the cartoon guy into a street. (Who magically knows to face the opposite direction from what I want.) ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/12 "2013-10-30T23:38:28Z")
That’s interesting. I knew that you could walk through museums and some world sites but this is new. Oh, and you can walk through Diagon Alley on the Harry Potter movie set. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/13 "2013-11-01T15:46:41Z")
I walked through some little coffee shop in NYC awhile back. Don’t remember which one. That was my first experience with it. I wish they’d take the cars down alleys- there’s always a lot of interesting stuff down alleys. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/14 "2013-11-01T16:06:06Z")
I once made the Google guy walk into an historic pub in London, the _Lamb & Flag_. It was cool to see the interior of the tiny ancient tavern dating from 1620. However, I tried to do it again just now, but it wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/15 "2013-11-01T16:28:35Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I once made the Google guy walk into an historic pub in London, the _Lamb & Flag_. It was cool to see the interior of the tiny ancient tavern dating from 1620. However, I tried to do it again just now, but it wouldn’t work. [A link for your pleasure, guv’nor](http://goo.gl/maps/dS8WA) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/16 "2013-11-01T17:42:06Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > [A link for your pleasure, guv’nor](http://goo.gl/maps/dS8WA) Awesome! Thanks! Isn’t that a delightful-looking pub? A pint of Fuller’s London Porter for me, please. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/17 "2013-11-01T19:53:30Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I accidentally did this the other day. Hit the arrow to leave the store to get out to the street. But then the only arrow available was to go back into the store. No arrows for moving along the street. . . . You’re in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-expanding-to-inside-stores/672618/18 "2013-11-01T22:24:50Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > You’re in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike! “Go North” “You cannot go that way.”