Dive Brief:
- Hoka has opened its first U.S. flagship store in the heart of New York City’s Midtown Manhattan, per a release sent to Retail Dive.
- The location at 579 Fifth Avenue includes 4,000 square feet of selling space and 5,000 square feet of back-of-house space. The lower level of the store will serve as a community space for various events and workshops for runners and fans of the brand.
- The location marks Hoka’s eighth brick-and-mortar store in the U.S. and second in New York City.
Dive Insight:
The new store in New York will serve as a place where visitors can experience the brand’s latest innovations in footwear and apparel technology. The location will also act as a community hub, with visitors being able to demo the latest footwear for road racing, trail running and hiking, per the company.
“The grand opening of our U.S. flagship store is a milestone for Hoka, and underscores our brand's commitment to creating meaningful consumer experiences and helping more people find joy through movement," Robin Green, Hoka president, said in a statement. "This flagship encapsulates our dedication to innovation, fostering a vibrant community, and empowering athletes across the globe."
Although Hoka and parent company Deckers Brands are located in Goleta, California, the company decided on New York City for its flagship.
“New York City was selected as the first U.S. flagship location due to its global cultural crossroads,” a spokesperson for the brand said in an email. “[New York] as a city provides unparalleled opportunities for Hoka to engage with consumers from around the world and enables the brand to create a pinnacle experience that unites people through the shared passion for movement.”
The New York City flagship adds to Hoka’s growing brick-and-mortar footprint, with other locations in Miami; Chicago; Honolulu; Orlando, Florida; and Costa Mesa and Venice, California.
Hoka was born in the French Alps in 2009 and acquired by Deckers in 2012. The brand has been on a tear the past few years and instrumental in driving the overall performance of Deckers.
Deckers in May reported full-year Hoka brand net sales increased 27.9% year over year to $1.8 billion, while overall company net sales increased 18% to $4.3 billion. Deckers last year proclaimed that Hoka would soon break the $2 billion mark.
Hoka recently opened a store in Paris as it looks to take advantage of a captive audience set to attend the Olympics beginning in late July.
