Retail Intel: Ariat Opens Las Vegas Flagship + More
FN rounds up all the store openings, closings and redesigns happening this month, from throughout the footwear industry. Send your retail news to web@footwearnews.com.
Mar. 7, 2024: Western boot and apparel company Ariat International opened its newest flagship store in Las Vegas. The location offers expert boot fittings and hat shaping and stretches almost 10,000 square feet. “We’re thrilled to have a brick-and-mortar presence in the entertainment capital of the world,” says Jared Ellis, Ariat’s vice president of consumer retail. “Roughly 40 million people travel to Las Vegas each year, so expanding our retail footprint to the Strip is an exciting next step for the brand. This is Ariat’s first brand shop in Nevada and the largest within our existing fleet. Customers can expect our widest selection of in-store products with style experts available to help achieve that perfect, authentic western look.”
Feb. 15, 2024: Skechers said on Thursday that it has surpassed 5,000 Skechers-branded retail store locations throughout more than 120 countries. Expanding the reach of Skechers shopping destinations currently operating globally, key openings leading up to the milestone have been in Chile, Greece, India, Mexico, South Korea, the United States, and the 5,000th store in Bogotá, Colombia. “Every Skechers store brings valuable engagement with consumers to build an increased awareness for our brand,” Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, said in a statement. “It started in 1995 with the original Skechers store opening in Manhattan Beach near our corporate offices. From there, we opened our first international store in Japan, the 100th in Times Square, the 3,000th in China and now our 5,000th store in Colombia. Every location offers the same look and feel to carry the Skechers brand with consistency across six continents. With an additional 140 to 160 more Company-owned stores planned this year and hundreds of stores opening annually with our partners, we are on the road to 10,000 Skechers stores.”
Jan. 11, 2024: REI Co-op announced plans to open 10 stores in 2024. Stores that are slated to debut in the spring include Beavercreek, Ohio, and Beaverton, Ore. There are three stores scheduled to open in the summer, including two in formerly occupied retail spaces (Arrowhead Promenade in Glendale, Ariz., and The River in Rancho Mirage, Calif.) and a third in Ithaca, N.Y. And in the fall, REI confirmed it will open in Albany, N.Y., and Tulsa, Okla. As for 2025, REI stated it will open a store in Durango, Colo., in the spring and in St. George, Utah, in the formerly occupied St. George Place in the fall. The stores, according to REI, will offer apparel, gear and expertise for cycling, running, hiking and more, and will feature full-service bike shops. As for the Utah location, REI will also include a ski and snowboard shop.