On a recent trip to Las Vegas, Nevada we had the opportunity to explore Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, where you can step beyond the ordinary and into the surreal. Omega Mart is a mind-bending immersive experience—where the cereal boxes have secrets and the freezer aisle might just be a portal to another dimension. This unique, immersive experience invites visitors to explore a surreal world filled with interactive storytelling and unexpected landscapes. The journey begins in a seemingly ordinary grocery store stocked with whimsical and satirical products. Upon closer inspection, each product reveals a meticulous design that challenges perceptions of consumer culture.
Brought to life by Meow Wolf, a certified B Corporation committed to social impact, sustainability, and supporting artists, Omega Mart is more than a trippy supermarket—it’s a mission-driven marvel. Beginning as an artist collective, Meow Wolf blends immersive storytelling with radical creativity. As a certified B Corporation, it follows ethical business practices that support community, equity, and imagination. At Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, you can even buy some of the products on display, including items from other B Corp brands.
What is a B Corporation?
A B Corporation, or B Corp, is a for-profit company certified by the nonprofit B Lab for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Unlike traditional corporations, B Corps prioritize purpose as well as profit, considering the impact of their decisions on employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment. To become certified, companies must complete the B Impact Assessment and achieve a minimum score. They undergo a thorough review process, and amend their legal governing documents to align with stakeholder interests. B Corps span various industries and are part of a global movement toward using business as a force for good. They aim to balance financial success with positive societal and environmental contributions, promoting sustainability, equity, and ethical business practices.
a flagship Meow Wolf product,
as well as other B Corp certified products.
Diving Into Meow Wolf as a B Corp
While in Las Vegas, we met up with Christy Sakamoto, Regional Impact Manager for Meow Wolf Las Vegas, to discuss the company’s B Corp story.
What motivated Meow Wolf to pursue B Corp certification?
Meow Wolf started off as an artist collective, in the early 2000s, as a group of friends who wanted to create art but didn’t see a space for themselves in the Sante Fe gallery scene, so they created this space. Born out of the same desire, they knew they wanted to become certified as a B Corp as the certification values aligned with what Meow Wolf was trying to accomplish, so it made sense.
Describe Meow Wolf’s Approach to blending art, storytelling, and technology to create a one-of-a-kind experience?
Unique in that we take all these elements and put them into a physical space. The intention is for a seamless combination of these in all of Meow Wolf’s experiences. There is no one way to explore the exhibit, it is fully open to individual interpretation.
How does the creative team ensure that each Meow Wolf exhibit feels distinct while maintaining the company’s signature style?
Meow Wolf’s signature for their physical exhibits is that when you enter the exhibit, at face value, it’s part of the mundane – elements from everyday life, all things we generally have an understanding of and what should happen. This is used as an entry point to transport people to other worlds, and it’s really special. The way our story comes through is consistent throughout all our exhibits.
What sustainable business practices does Meow Wolf implement to minimize its environmental footprint?
Meow Wolf’s early days entailed dumpster diving and making art from recycled materials, we’ve always been committed to environmental sustainability in our installations. Coming from California, where there are such high standards for environmental sustainability that are pushing us to do better as we build out our [next] Los Angeles exhibit. We are doing a lot of benchmarking, as each new exhibit comes online, tracking our footprint.
Lately, our teams are deep into Mycelium, [a biodegradable fungi-based polymer] that can be used instead of plastic, and we are very excited to incorporate it into our next exhibit. Our supply chain is something we are looking at as well, as we see there is room for improvement and growth. We are trying to use more local products. Asking ourselves – How do we make sure that we are not transporting things from so far away? Can we recycle more materials? At our headquarters in Santa Fe where production happens, they have adapted processes to make sure they aren’t creating as much waste (minimizing paint waste, recycling materials to use across exhibits).
What are the biggest challenges of maintaining B Corp certification?
Believe it or not, for a long time, we were the only certified B Corp in the attraction industry. There is a lot that goes into the certification. Meow Wolf was first incorporated as a Benefit Corporation with the State (this is different from B Corp, but B Corp provided the structure they needed to move forward with the certification). We are part of a small group of local B Corps, as there are only 8 in the state of Nevada. And of course, each new exhibit has it’s own set of challenges as we try to align company values across multiple states.
How does being a B Corp influence Meow Wolf’s workplace culture and employee policies?
A lot of people are drawn to the company values, that align with their personal values. As a B Corp, we are legally obligated to consider our purpose, and to consider people and the environment. When it comes to people, our origin lies in always wanting to be a place that welcomes the outsider. One of the huge tenets when Meow Wolf started up was artists getting paid for their work. They have a competitive starting salary and really good benefits. Meow Wolf wants to provide opportunities for staff to shine and express their authentic selves, while feeling valued.
How Is Meow Wolf supporting local communities as part of its B Corp commitment?
The Vegas strip is very much a silo, with no real ties to the community, and our location off the strip makes it easier for Meow Wolf to be part of the community. We work hard to make sure they aren’t only taking and taking, and make sure that we are giving back to the community as well. Ways that Meow Wolf gives back include:
- Donating money to the local community
- Meow Wolf Education program
- Meow Wolf Foundation
- Employee donation match program
- Dollars4Doers employee volunteerism, paying staff to volunteer
Meow Wolf also continues to support and celebrate DEI observances, like Pride month, with their products and conversations. All of the proceeds from sales of their Pride products will go to local LGBTQIA groups.
Does Meow Wolf get a lot of recognition from patrons for their B Corp status?
There is growing momentum in recognition of B Corps in our current environment, consumers are more conscious about the brands they are supporting, something that is playing out on the national scene a lot right now. The B Corp certifies that a company is being more socially and environmentally responsible at a higher level, so consumers can feel better about their money going to support those types of companies. Not everyone that arrives at Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart realizes we are a B Corp but are really excited when they find out.
What kind of experience do you want visitors to take away from Meow Wolf?
We want people to come in and play. We want there to be provocativeness in what we are providing so that people have questions and are inspired – that they walk away wanting to educate themselves further. There’s also the element of wanting to feel compassion, art helps you understand a different perspective.
We also want visitors to feel valued, respected and included, going back to the original founder’s values, this is a space where everyone is welcome. You can see yourself in the art and you can be yourself here.
Are there any future initiatives or goals Meow Wolf is working toward to enhance its B Corp impact?
What’s great about B Corp is it’s continually evolving. We just submitted our recertification documents (you have to recertify very three years). We’ll go through a very strenuous auditing period. What we’ve learned in this recertification process is that the benchmarks have changed. What the businesses and consumers expect is changing. We want to continue to rise to those standards, so we will always be challenging ourselves.
Explore Meow Wolf’s B Corp profile here.
What’s next for Meow Wolf?
We have a new exhibit launching in Los Angeles and just announced our next destination in New York City’s Seaport. We are working on expanding Meow Wolf’s reach in interacting with the public via different mediums. Outside of our physical location, there is a Meow Wolf app for people to interact with the multiverse, in addition to Meow Wolf attending events with their installations, so keep an eye out for more Meow Wolf elements.
Meow Wolf
Next time you’re in Vegas, be sure to take some time away from the strip and explore the wonderous world of Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart. The whole experience has been crafted by a diverse group of local and international artists. The exhibit also houses Datamosh, a concealed bar offering a selection of unique beverages in a setting that complements the exhibition’s otherworldly theme. This fusion of art and entertainment provides a thought-provoking and engaging experience that captivates visitors of all ages.
Fun Fact – March is B Corp month. Other well-known B Corps have included Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Lunchskins. Looking for other B Corp businesses to support? Click here.
Do you have a favourite B Corp business? Would love to hear about it!
