The franchise agreement with the Baker family, who previously operated 24 Planet Fitness locations across the Midwest, includes plans to open 50 Conquer Padel clubs nationwide. The first four locations are slated for the Northeast, with site selection underway by Conquer Padel’s real estate team.
Category: Sports/Fitness
PGA Tour Superstore To Open First St. Louis Location
The new store in Manchester, a suburb of St. Louis, will open on September. The 35,000-square-foot retail location is the company’s first in Missouri.
Astral Expands U.S. Regional Indie Sales Team
“As Astral continues to expand into the broader outdoor market, it becomes more and more crucial to invest in the strength and reach of our on-the-ground sales team,” —Christian Mason, Director, B2B Sales, Astral
ICSC’s Survey Finds Back-To-School Shoppers Seeking Promotions
The 2025 ICSC Back-to-School Consumer Survey found that nine in ten respondents said promotions influence their purchases throughout the season, with 46 percent stating they plan their shopping around specific promotional events, such as Target Circle Week, Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Deals, or Labor Day sales.
Gymshark Opens Store in Manchester, England
The company opened a store in Manchester, marking its first standalone UK store outside of London. The activewear brand now has five stores with plans to open a store in New York City later this year.
EXEC: Moody’s Sees Tariffs Weighing On Apparel Retail Through First Half Of 2026
Moody’s Ratings, in an update, said that while a pause in some tariffs lessens the profitability hit, it’s maintaining a negative outlook on the Global Retail and Apparel sector, as tariffs are expected to “materially” impact earnings through the first quarter of 2026, with apparel and footwear sellers particularly vulnerable.
EXEC: OrthoLite Founder Glenn Barrett Talks Fresh Opportunities via Coats Group Merger
SGB Executive spoke with Glenn Barrett, founder and CEO of insole maker OrthoLite, about the opportunities created for its flagship brand, Ortholite, and Cirql, its upstart featuring biodegradable foam, following its pending merger with London-based Coats Group Plc.
Echelon Fitness Acquires B2B Fitness Streaming Platform
The manufacturer of connected fitness products, has acquired Fortë, a B2B fitness streaming platform that enables gyms, boutique studios, influencers, and sports organizations to launch live and on-demand fitness programs. Fortë will be rebranded to “Elevate by Echelon”.
Vuori Accelerates Global Expansion with New Stores in Asia
Vuori announced an acceleration of its global expansion in Asia with the opening of its first stores in Seoul, Korea, this September under a franchise partnership, followed by another in Beijing, China in October. The California activewear brand has also expanded its digital reach with its e-commerce platform now live in 11 additional countries.
Bushnell Golf Claims Golf Laser Rangefinder Dominance at Royal Portrush
Bushnell Golf said in a media release that it had a “96.8 percent share of players at the 153rd Open Championship this past weekend for the Bushnell laser rangefinders for their distance-measuring needs.”
Skechers’ Investor Loses Bid To Block Take-Private Deal
A California federal judge refused to block private equity 3G Capital from taking Skechers private for $9.4 billion, finding that the pension plan that owns Skechers’ shares failed to show it would be irreparably harmed without the injunction.
Study: Private Label is Quietly Taking Share from Established Brands
This latest First Insight study on private label trends offers a macro view of how shifting consumer perceptions and behaviors around private label products are influencing trial, loyalty and the decisions retailers must make in a changing economic and competitive landscape.
EXEC: TaylorMade Acquisition at Center of Next Korean (Golf) War
South Korean fashion retailer F&F Co said it has hired Goldman Sachs to advise on an acquisition of TaylorMade, and that it would take legal action if the owner of the global golf products maker proceeds with a separate sale process.
EXEC: Study Forecasts Continued Rapid Growth for Padel, Including in the U.S.
Playtomic’s “Global Padel Report 2025” found padel clubs increased 22 percent globally in 2024, with significant growth in Southern Europe. In the U.S., the sport is still in its early stages, but faster expansion is expected in 2026, with “real acceleration” projected for 2027.
Matt Ginella Joins KemperSports Via Fire Pit Acquisition
Fire Pit Productions will become a subsidiary of KemperSports and company Founder Matt Ginella will serve as KemperSports’ chief storyteller.
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