Adidas has opened a brand-new sprawling home for its offerings in New York City, just a few blocks from Times Square on 5th Ave.
The global flagship is four floors, including a lower level, and measures 45,000 square feet. That makes it the German sportswear giant’s largest store in the world, and signifies the brand’s increased focus on the US market in the midst of its American turnaround.
Adidas is also focusing on New York as part of its “key city” attack plan.
“We wanted to focus on elevating the brand in key cities, and New York City is a great place to start because it’s a sport and fashion intersection,” Claire Midwood, Senior VP of Concepts to Consumer, told The Street.
The store features a design the company calls its “stadium retail concept” that takes inspiration from U.S. high school sports stadiums. To that end, the entrance to the store mimics the tunnels athletes typically walk through to get to the field, and between the first and second level, high school-style bleachers are set up overlooking 5th Ave and shoppers can watch either the street scene below or live games on the TVs.
Other features in the store include a stall selling juices and snacks, a personal fitness consultation area, and a customization area for both shoes and clothing. The store has "locker rooms" to try on product, and areas called "The Turf" and "The Track" to test out product before purchase.
All of Adidas most famous product is accounted for and has its own place in the store, including Originals like the Stan Smith and Superstar and new hot performance products like the Ultra-Boost, as well as new collaborations like Stella McCartney for Adidas and a limited partnership with Canadian-based sportswear manufacturer Reigning Champ.
Lines were long on December 1, with customers looking to get first dips on some unique styles offered for the grand opening.
In November, chief rival Nike also opened a huge store in New York's Soho district, with a focus on technology and trial before purchase. The sportswear giants, it seems, have chosen NYC as the place to wage war.
