5.11, the maker of tactical apparel and gear, recently opened a brick-and-mortar retail store in Downers Grove, IL. The location marks the brand’s 34th U.S. retail store opening and its 25th store opening in the past 18 months.
Downers Grove provides another building block to 5.11’s 2018 retail expansion goal of 50 company-owned retail stores.
5.11 launched company-owned retail stores in California in 2014, and continued opening an average of two stores a year for the next two years. The beginning of the brand’s robust retail expansion came in 2017, and 2018 is proving to be 5.11’s most ambitious 12-month projected retail expansion to date.
“As professionals and consumers discover the evolving 5.11 product line driven by innovation, our brand’s awareness is growing in the larger marketplace, [and] thus created more demand than ever for our purpose-built apparel and gear,” said 5.11’s CEO, Tom Davin. “Because of the extensive technical features in our products, 5.11 company-owned retail stores create a unique opportunity to showcase our product by our knowledgeable sales staff.”
With the brand’s focus on law enforcement, first responder and military communities, each retail location carries head-to-toe apparel and gear for men and women including pants, shorts, shirts, outerwear, footwear, packs and bags, headwear, load-bearing equipment and tactical accessories. 5.11 enters retail in specific landscapes, looking for highly trafficked locations, and often as a stand-alone destination, or anchor of an existing shopping center.
“Our customers had been asking from the very beginning for a 5.11 store in Chicago,” said Jeff Roberts, 5.11’s senior vice president of Retail. “Based on high consumer demand for our product and retail offering, Downers Grove is likely the first of what we see as a multi-store market for Chicago and its surrounding areas.”
Roberts concludes, “Downers Grove specifically is due west of downtown Chicago, is easily accessible and is centrally located between Interstates 355 and 88, making it an ideal location for a 5.11 retail store.”
The store is at 2936 Finley Road.
