Champion Athleticwear opened its first store in Philadelphia and its fifth U.S. specialty retail store with other locations in Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Chicago.
The official grand opening of the new store on 1507 Walnut Street will take place on Saturday, March 23.
The newest Champion store is located in the heart of downtown Philadelphia, situated amongst a variety of high-end retailers, shops, salons, restaurants and businesses. Located right in Center City, Philadelphians will have easy access to Champion’s new retail location via SEPTA buses and subway lines. Additionally, the store is a short walk from Suburban Station.
“We are excited to come to Philadelphia with a new store that truly celebrates the city and the rich culture that makes it so special,” said David Robertson, director of Champion Brand Marketing. “Philadelphia has a rich tradition in sports, the arts, academics and cuisine, and we look forward to becoming a part of this one-of-a-kind community. The Center City location is the perfect place for our brand to build an impactful connection with the city for years to come as we look to further enrich the community through events and unique products. From vintage Champion Philadelphia sports memorabilia to exclusive Philadelphia pieces, we’re creating an immersive hub of activity that helps us to genuinely connect with our customers beyond our quality Champion products.”
The 3,040 square foot space marks Champion’s first two-floor store concept in the U.S., and will allow customers to have an interactive experience while shopping. With the entire second floor dedicated to customization, it gives consumers hands-on access to the product while deepening their knowledge of the brand. The new store will also work to transcend a typical retail space by creating a welcoming hub for the community to engage with the brand via monthly in-store activations and events such as live screen printing.
At the grand opening, the first 500 customers to shop the store will receive a custom Champion tote with art by Philadelphia’s very own Alloyius Mcilwaine, known for his captivating paintings and murals. Alloyius Mcilwaine will also design a limited edition t-shirt, only available at this location.
Specialized Champion products will also be available exclusively in the Philadelphia store, including a Champion Philadelphia capsule collection. National and local collaborations will cycle in and out of the store from time to time.
Customers will also have the ability to create their own unique Champion gear using a variety of colors, fonts and patches with on-site embroidery and customization services.
To show its appreciation for the talents unique to the community, as well as its support of the arts, the store also features a mural by Alloyius Mcilwaine, and an installation by Ishknits, both prominent artists within the acclaimed Philadelphia artistic collective, Tiny Room for Elephants. Both artists drew upon Champion designs and their love for the city of Philadelphia as their inspiration for the pieces.
The Philadelphia store’s two-story retail design concept integrates unique design elements representative of the brand’s athletic DNA such as fixtures made from reclaimed basketball gym floors and custom benches made from lockers. Additionally, the store has wallpaper made of collages of vintage Champion ads, catalogs and other imagery allowing for customers to experience the heritage of the 100-year-old brand in a modern format.
Champion is a brand of Hanesbrands Inc.
