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Diving certificate:
- Foot Locker continues its efforts to revamp its store network with the reopening of its flagship store on 34th Street in New York City on Thursday. In a company press release, the sporting goods retailer called the store opening a “critical milestone” in the restructuring of its store network.
- The New York location now features a Foot Locker “Home Court” basketball concept developed in conjunction with Nike and the Jordan brand. The concept, which also includes Puma, New Balance and Adidas, is the result of a “shared vision” between Nike and Foot Locker.
- The area features 3D scanning technology to help customers find the right fit, a high jump challenge where customers can test the shoe’s performance, and a street-inspired look with “enhanced storytelling,” the press release said.
Diving insight:
Foot Locker’s store renovation strategy has taken a step further with the reopening of a key location on New York City’s popular 34th Street. Most notably, the store features a focus on basketball through a collaboration with Nike and Jordan – an area that Foot Locker is increasingly getting into.
“Foot Locker ‘Home Court’ represents a critical advancement in how we engage with sneaker enthusiasts in collaboration with our brand partners and elevate the basketball experience to new heights,” CEO Mary Dillon said in a statement. “Our reimagined 34th Street store is designed to set the standard for excellence in omnichannel retail, consistent with our Lace Up Plan and deeply rooted in sneaker culture.”
While the company unveiled its first future-format store in Wayne, New Jersey, in April, the New York location is introducing its first new Kids Foot Locker concept. The store’s kids section features interactive digital shoe scanners, an activity table, selfie stations and “upscale” basketball merchandising.
In addition to opening new stores in New Jersey, New York and Paris, Foot Locker also plans to open stores in Melbourne, Australia, and Delhi, India. The store redesign is intended to create a more unified shopping experience, Chief Commercial Officer Frank Bracken told Retail Dive earlier this year, and to address issues with previous store designs that were more male-dominated and featured less storytelling.
Dillon told analysts in March this year that the company plans to remodel two-thirds of its global Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker stores over the next few years, just part of a larger store strategy that includes closing 400 mall-based stores by 2026. In May, the retailer said new store formats now account for 16% of its total selling space, up from 11% last year.
After a turbulent period in which Nike hinted it would pivot away from Foot Locker and pursue its own DTC strategy, the two companies have rekindled their ties, including through the new focus on basketball at Foot Locker’s New York flagship store. Foot Locker also launched a new loyalty program this summer to appeal to more shoppers. The program allows shoppers to exchange points for discounts, receive free returns on purchases and use loyalty points to gain a higher chance of accessing new sneaker products.
