Dick's Sporting Goods plans to launch Chelsea Collective, a specialty women's fitness and lifestyle boutique. The first two locations will open in August 2015 in Tysons Corner, VA, at Tysons Corner Center and Pittsburgh at Ross Park Mall.

Named for the diverse and eclectic Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, Chelsea Collective promises to provide customers with a uniquely curated assortment of apparel, equipment, footwear, accessories and beauty products, fusing fitness and fashion to serve women who are on the cutting edge of new trends and have a variety of fitness interests. While owned and operated by Dick's Sporting Goods, Chelsea Collective locations will operate as small boutique shops.

“Chelsea Collective started with our own proprietary research, where we spent extensive amounts of time with the target customer and found that she was not satisfied with her existing choices,” Lauren Hobart, SVP and chief marketing officer for Dick’s Sporting Goods who will also serve as the general manager of Chelsea Collective, told Sports Executive Weekly. “She was living in athletic apparel but it didn’t always make her look and feel her best, and she wanted a shopping opportunity where she could outfit herself from head-to-toe, including footwear.”

A significant portion of the store's total assortment will feature footwear, accessory and beauty brands such as Brooks, Hunter Boots, Pure Vida, Le Sport Sac, Evian and Philosophy. Hobart said a more targeted customer-base can be served with a wider variety of products in a specialty store format.

“Chelsea Collective is highly differentiated from what is already in the marketplace and has been designed to fit the active woman’s lifestyle, one who also has a sense of fashion, and take her throughout her day,” said Hobart, a former PepsiCo marketing executive who joined Dick’s SG in 2011. “It includes a curated assortment of niche and iconic brands, footwear, and a selection of beauty accessories to help her get a head-to-toe look and go seamlessly to and from the gym.”

The apparel mix includes as Nike and its CALIA by Carrie Underwood private label brand, while also boasting niche brands such as Lorna Jane, Spiritual Gangster and ALALA that aren’t found at a Dick’s SG store.

Said Hobart, “It was important to have this unique mix of iconic and niche brands because Chelsea Collective serves a woman who is always trying the latest in fitness and fashion. The assortment of the store will change rapidly, providing shoppers with a fresh experience each time they visit.”
 
The concept will also emphasize knowledgeable associates.

“We truly want these stores to have their own voice and their own local flavor,” said Hobart. “We're hiring experts – associates who live for the latest fitness and fashion trends, who buy and use the products this store offers and who will be a sought after resource to the Chelsea Collective community.”

The move comes as Dick’s SG has found recent success expanding its women’s department in its own stores with fuller assortments of brands such as Nike and Under Armour as well as last year’s launch of CALIA by Carrie Underwood. It also follows Lululemon, Athleta and other mainstream chains chasing the athleisure trend.

Hobart said Dick’s SG sees the athleisure theme continuing to expand with consumers. “In fact,” she adds, “we see the line blurring further and further between athletic wear and everyday casual clothing as women replace their jeans with athleisure bottoms and wear them not only to the gym, but to run errands, grab brunch, for movie night, shopping, all day – athleisure wear has become a staple in today’s woman’s wardrobe and will continue to grow.”

Grand Opening details for both boutiques will be shared in local markets soon. No future stores are currently planned. Said Hobart, “We’re using these first two stores as leaning labs and plan to take key learnings to help shape the future of both Chelsea Collective and our Dick’s Sporting Goods in-store women’s strategy as well.”