Decathlon moves ahead with its US market return, plans first ‘full-scale’ store
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Sports retailer Decathlon will open its first full-scale store in the US in the second quarter of next year, located in a former Toys R Us space.
The 47,000sqft store will be located in Emeryville, in the San Francisco Bay area, California.
In April, Decathlon opened a ‘lab store’ in Market Street, downtown San Francisco as a test platform. That store was just one-sixth the size of the new superstore and features 50 sports.
“We strategically chose to open a smaller-scale store in the city before expanding to this larger retail center in order to better understand the needs of local sports enthusiasts and develop our interconnected retail and online experience,” said Decathlon US CEO Michel d’Humieres.
“Our future store in Emeryville will feature more than 100 different sports and allow our customers to find everything they need to ‘get in the game’ in one stop, with plenty of opportunities to discover and try out new sports,” said d’Humieres. “Through this fun, interactive retail center, we are working to build a community around Decathlon in the Bay Area similar to what we’ve accomplished abroad.
“Since our launch, we’ve had an enthusiastic response to our store and have developed a thriving relationship with the community, and we’ve decided it’s time to introduce the US to our first full-service Decathlon store environment.”
In August, Decathlon launched an e-commerce platform for US customers and reportedly plans to open more full-range stores in other states.
French-headquartered Decathlon operates more than 1400 stores in 42 international markets.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary reason Decathlon opened a smaller store before a full-scale one?
What is the primary reason Decathlon opened a smaller store before a full-scale one?
Decathlon strategically opened a smaller store first to understand the needs of local sports enthusiasts. This approach also helped them develop their interconnected retail and online experience in the US market.
Q.How many sports will the new Emeryville store offer compared to the initial lab store?
How many sports will the new Emeryville store offer compared to the initial lab store?
The new full-scale Emeryville store will feature more than 100 different sports. This is significantly more than the 50 sports offered at the initial lab store in downtown San Francisco.
Q.What steps has Decathlon already taken in the US market prior to this new store announcement?
What steps has Decathlon already taken in the US market prior to this new store announcement?
Decathlon previously opened a smaller 'lab store' in downtown San Francisco in April as a test platform. They also launched an e-commerce platform for US customers in August.
Q.Where is Decathlon's first full-scale US store going to be located?
Where is Decathlon's first full-scale US store going to be located?
The first full-scale Decathlon store will be located in Emeryville, California, within the San Francisco Bay area. It will occupy a former Toys R Us space and measure 47,000 square feet.