Gymshark to open first permanent US store this month

British gym and fitness apparel brand Gymshark is set to open its first permanent store in the US at Roosevelt Field shopping centre in Long Island, New York, this month, ahead of its highly anticipated flagship opening in New York City later this year.

The 4,000 square foot Roosevelt Field store will open on October 11 and will serve as the “blueprint for all future stores in the US”. It will include Gymshark’s destination zones for shorts and leggings, alongside its Power and Vital lines, and its now signature mannequins sculpted on real members of the community.

The Roosevelt Field is part of the Simon Property Group portfolio and is the largest shopping centre on Long Island, and the second-largest in the state of New York. It features a mix of luxury and high street retailers, including Burberry, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Boss, as well as Primark, Bloomingdale's, H&M, Gap, JCPenney, Macy’s, and Uniqlo. It also has several gym, yoga, and sportswear brands, such as Adidas, Alo, Athleta, Fabletics, and Lululemon.

Hannah Mercer, general manager of wholesale and retail at Gymshark, said in a statement: “To open our first permanent store in the US is a hugely significant moment for us. I’m naturally delighted about opening at such a prestigious location as Roosevelt Field and the high footfall that comes with it.

“However, what I’m really excited about is the fact that this store will act as the blueprint for all future stores we open here. It’s no secret that we learn on the job at Gymshark. To date, we’ve opened four other core stores over the past 12 months or so. What we’ve done here is look at the successes in them - such as staffing models, operational excellence optimisation, the traffic and footfall, the destinations - and apply them to this.

“This store at Roosevelt Field will be the model for all future endeavours in malls and commercial centres to create the best shopping experience possible for our community.”

In February, Gymshark confirmed that it would be opening a US flagship store located at 11 Bond Street in New York City, as part of its ongoing international expansion, which has seen recent openings in Amsterdam and Dubai, as well as additional stores in Manchester and London in the UK.