Concepts that make sports stores stand out around the world

Since September 2021, Salford near Manchester has an extraordinary store. Because anyone who shops in the Sports Traider Shop not only makes a bargain, but also supports disadvantaged and disabled children. All items in the store cost five pounds or less, regardless of whether they are no-name products or global brands. Sports Traider uses the proceeds to finance and support inclusive clubs, initiatives and disadvantaged or disabled children and young people in practicing their sport. In addition, the now eight Sports Traider stores in the UK provide numerous jobs for disadvantaged or marginalized groups.

The items are either donations from brands and companies, such as as-new remnants of discontinued collections, or second-hand goods. In this way, the concept helps not only those affected but also the environment by bringing unwanted or returned sports articles into circulation after all.

Faced with fierce competition in the cities, Sport Bründl is sticking to its concept of stores near ski resorts in the Alps. The Austrians' latest gem is the flagship store in Kaprun, which opened on October 1, 2021. The concept: a green building in all respects.

Sustainable materials were used for the construction - for example, the facade is made of silver fir wood from the region. The electricity for the store comes 100 percent from renewable sources. The building is cooled by glacier water. The cuisine of the gastro lounge is regional, seasonal and organic. But shopping itself should also be an experience: The glass ski service workshop allows insights into the work. In addition, there is a ski boot fitting lab as well as a running track, a bouldering wall and, for the kids, a slide that spans several floors. Those who want to get close to the mountains can do so on the striking Sky Walk: an observation platform with a view of the Alpine panorama.

Dick's Sporting Goods Sores have been ubiquitous in the U.S. since 1948. Yet in 2021, the brand has reinvented itself once again: In two newly opened Dick's Houses of Sport, the symbiosis of retail and sport succeeds.

The two new stores in Knoxville (Tennessee) and Victor (New York) are not just places to store, but also to work out in the small to medium-sized towns: climbing walls, soccer fields, golf greens for putting and baseball cages for hitting not only allow customers to try out the products, but also turn the stores into real meeting places and leisure activities in the community. Added to this are campaign days with stars from the US sports scene. The plan is working: According to "Placer," the new House of Sport in Victor has 93.5 percent more customers than other Dick's stores in the region.

Berlin's art and culture scene is unique. And that is exactly what the Adidas Originals flagship store will reflect after its renovation and reopening in October 2020. Because the sales area, which does not follow the usual divisions into women's and men's fashion, will become a studio here at the same time.

Works by local street artists are presented here in curated exhibitions. And the music in the store also receives special attention here: In the dressing rooms, digital mirrors allow access not only to product information, but also to the store's song playlist.

With its Houses of Innovation, Nike is exploring the future of store concepts. At the most recently opened store on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, there is a digital mission control wall at the entrance, where interactive activities with the other Houses of Innovation in New York and Shanghai are possible. Women can also use the "Bra Fit by Nike Fit" tool to find fit recommendations for all Nike bras based on their perceived bra size. Kids will also find interactive games and a virtual parkour in the Kids Pd.

The latest highlight: Shortly before Christmas 2021, Nike opened virtual Weather Stations in the Houses of Innovation. The climate simulator transports customers from the indoor store to the outdoors thanks to XR, sound, virtual environments and projections. The project was created for the launch of the FitADV collection.

Chinese sports giant Anta has made a statement with its flagship store opening in late 2020 on Nanjing Road in Shanghai, one of the world's largest shopping streets: As the official supplier of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, winter sports sculptures and installations stretch across the three floors decked out in white.

With sneakers as the top seller, Anta also makes clever use of the mezzanine floors: the sneaker walls are both a visual enhancement and a sales area that encourages visitors to explore the next floor. In addition to models for sale, the impressive sneaker wall consists of over 600 illuminated models representing the brand's shoe history.

With annual sales in the double-digit billions, the NFL is the world's top-selling sports league. This is also because it knows how to combine events and shopping. It's no coincidence that the first NFL fan store with sports equipment and merchandise for all 32 NFL teams opened in Las Vegas on January 15, 2022.

Previously, the league decided that with this year's Pro Bowl, the All-Star game would take place in the gambling metropolis in Nevada just a few weeks after the store opening. The NFL Draft, the selection process for the biggest talents, will also be held in Las Vegas for the first time in April 2022. Las Vegas will also have its own NFL team, the Raiders, for the first time since 2020.

The league's store is therefore coming to a place where its own event plans are generating ever greater football enthusiasm. In cooperation with marketer Legends and Visa, the new store at Caesars Palace offers exclusive products, official NFL events with players, and collaborations with NFL stars and local designers.