Dive Brief:
- DTC athleisure apparel brand Beyond Yoga has reached beyond its native California to open its first store outside the state, in Chicago, per details sent to Retail Dive.
- The 1,700-square-foot store has launched in Chicago’s Fulton Market District and is the brand’s sixth brick-and-mortar location.
- The store features women’s, men’s, maternity and toddler leggings, as well as offering extended sizing. Customers can choose to schedule appointments via the brand’s website in order to have Beyond Yoga’s store team personalize a selection of products based on their preferences.
Dive Insight:
Since Levi Strauss acquired Beyond Yoga in 2021, the 18-year-old brand has expanded its brick-and-mortar footprint, seeking to widen its customer reach. Chicago represents the brand’s sixth store, all opened since 2022 and after the Levi’s acquisition.
“Beyond Yoga has customers all around the world and Chicago is one of our top performing cities,” Michelle Wahler, co-founder and CEO of Beyond Yoga, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to expand outside of Southern California and meet our consumers in their local market. Many of the people who walk through the door are first-time shoppers and we can’t wait for them, as well as established fans of the brand, to experience the magic first-hand.”
In its financial report last month, Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh said that together, its Beyond Yoga and Dockers brands are now generating about $500 million in annual revenue.
Beyond Yoga in the past said that it hopes to become a $1 billion business.
The arrival of this new location in Chicago furthers the brand’s plans to expand beyond its Californian roots. In early 2023, Bergh sounded optimistic about leaning on physical retail to grow the brand. “Approximately 50% of their sales are from customers new to the brand, and we believe brick and mortar will be a powerful catalyst for the brand,” Bergh said.
Founded in 2005 by Michelle Wahler and Jodi Guber Brufsky, Beyond Yoga has over 1,600 retail partners in addition to its branded stores. Retail accounts include Shopbop, Revolve, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, REI and Scheels. Studio partners include Barre3, CorePower Yoga, Pure Barre, Equinox and the Four Seasons hotel.
“Since becoming part of [Levi’s], it has been a fantastic experience to access the resources and benefit from Levi's expertise in the physical retail realm,” Wahler said in an email to Retail Dive. “The support from their team has been invaluable, and it's worth noting that our inaugural store was established in a former Levi's store in Santa Monica.”
Wahler said Beyond Yoga was established with the vision of crafting soft, comfortable activewear that works across various activities — from running errands to working out. Inclusive sizing, ranging from XXS to 4X, was introduced 18 years ago.
