Dive Brief:
- As it looks to brand itself as a sports retailer, Skechers has opened its first performance-focused store, an immersive experience for customers wanting to test out the brand’s latest sports footwear technology, per a news release.
- The 7,500-square-foot store is located at the West Edmonton Mall in Canada and features digital LED screens and half-court platforms for both basketball and pickleball where customers can try out products.
- The new store features a range of the company’s sports-related footwear in categories like golf, soccer, running, training, walking, trail and hiking.
Dive Insight:
Originally founded in 1992 as a comfort footwear brand, Skechers has in recent years leaned into the athletics market, creating shoes for a variety of sports. Skechers in 2023 entered the basketball space with two shoes and a partnership with NBA players Julius Randle and Terance Mann, and that same year released its first soccer cleat and announced Harry Kane as a brand ambassador.
Skechers’ roster also includes NBA player Joel Embiid, as well as pickleball’s Tyson McGuffin and Catherine Parenteau.
“With the world’s elite pros wearing our shoes from the court to the pitch, mound and green, our retail stores’ innovative performance products have become a magnet for athletes who want game-changing product with essential comfort,” Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, said in a statement. “Our new performance store offers competitors at every level the complete experience: from our largest-ever offering of performance footwear, apparel and accessories, to Skechers specialists and educators for our diverse sport technologies, and courts where consumers can discover how our product performs without ever leaving the store.”
The retailer said in its announcement that Edmonton’s “vibrant sports culture” was part of the draw for the new location.
Skechers, which has over 5,300 stores worldwide, is coming off a third quarter that saw sales increase 16% to $2.35 billion. Full-year results, set to report after the market closes on Feb. 6, are projected to be between $8.93 billion and $8.98 billion, per the company’s guidance.
While select Skechers stores and the brand’s website already carry the performance footwear, the Edmonton store further signals the company’s commitment to the athletic space, where such brands as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour play.
