This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Vivint Smart Home is opening mini-stores within 400 Best Buy outlets nationwide as part of a new strategic partnership, the Provo-based company said Thursday.

The announcement was part of the company's expansion into the market for "connected home products" that can be monitored and controlled from afar, including locks, lights, cameras, thermostats and garage-door openers.

Vivint will have its own sales force in Best Buy stores, displaying products and explaining monthly fees for monitoring, support and product service. The company plans to roll out the store-within-a-store concept this fall in Best Buy's large format, brick-and-mortar outlets.

Vivint Smart Home President Alex Dunn characterized the deal as part of "our vision from the beginning to deliver smart home for the mass market."

At Best Buy, he said in a news release, Vivint will be "providing customers with a comprehensive smart home offering and a personalized retail experience."

Best Buy sold more than 55 million connected devices last year. Its chief strategic growth officer, Asheesh Saksena, said the Vivint Smart Home deal exemplifies its strategy to "work with industry leading partners to curate the best products, service and solution that address the everyday needs of our customers."

Vivint Smart Home has upwards of 1 million customers and has installed more than 15 million devices in North American homes. Company equipment also works with voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home.

Vivint has evolved from a home security provider formerly known as APX Alarm to a tech company looking to be the leader in connected home devices and services.

The company touts its listing as the top home service provider in the U.S. by Strategic Analytics and its place on Fast Company's list of the 50 most innovative companies for 2017.

Its biggest splash in Utah, however, remains its sponsorship relationship with the Utah Jazz, who have NBA playoff games Saturday and Monday against the Golden State Warriors in Vivint Smart Home Arena.