Dive Brief:
- DTC activewear brand Fabletics announced on Friday that it will open 30 new stores in 2022, according to a company press release.
- The new locations will bring the retailer's international brick-and-mortar count to over 100 storefronts by the end of 2022.
- Fabletics on March 5 also hosted grand re-opening events to celebrate the 21 store locations that opened since the start of 2020. Those events were delayed due to the pandemic.
Dive Insight:
Opening more storefronts has been in the works for some time for direct-to-consumer brand Fabletics.
Back in 2018 the company announced expansion plans, expecting its U.S. brick-and-mortar fleet to reach 100 around that time.
Now, the company is on the heels of hitting a 100-store goal (yet this time around the count includes international). The onset of a global health crisis presented obstacles to Fabletics' store strategy, but the company still continued to open locations — 21 in all — during the height of COVID-19, and is now growing that base.
"Despite the challenges we faced during COVID-19, we see a rebound on the horizon for retail and are doubling down on expansion efforts in response," Adam Goldenberg, CEO and co-founder of Fabletics, said in a statement. "We've chosen new locations based on growing demand from our members in these areas and can't wait to bring the brand closer to our customers' homes."
Announced Fabletics locations in 2022
| Location | City | State |
|---|---|---|
| Chandler Fashion Center | Chandler | Arizona |
| Santa Anita | Arcadia | California |
| Village at Corte Madera | Corte Madera | California |
| Glendale Galleria | Glendale | California |
| Fashion Square | Sherman Oaks | California |
| Valencia Town Center | Valencia | California |
| Broadway Plaza | Walnut Creek | California |
| Oxmoor Center | Louisville | Kentucky |
| Country Club Plaza | Kansas City | Missouri |
| Crabtree Valley Mall | Raleigh | North Carolina |
| Village Point | Omaha | Nebraska |
| ABQ Uptown | Albuquerque | New Mexico |
| Kenwood Towne Center | Cincinnati | Ohio |
| Crocker Park | Westlake | Ohio |
| Classen Curve | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma |
| Saddle Creek | Germantown | Tennessee |
| Fashion Place | Murray | Utah |
| Mayfair | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin |
SOURCE: Fabletics
Fabletics joins the ranks of other DTC companies who are accelerating opening brick-and-mortar locations in order to drive growth and serve as a a marketing vehicle to attract new shoppers.
Fabletics is also emphasizing the draw of shoppers being able to have an omnichannel experience, and its ability to bridge the gap between online and in-store operations. "Fabletics has proven that shoppers want the flexibility of both in-store and online shopping," Goldenberg said.
The brand, which launched in 2013 online only, released a fitness app a year ago to offer on-demand workouts, meditations and other content to consumers.
