Gymshark opened its second permanent standalone store in Westfield, Stratford City, on July 13, with more openings planned internationally for the ambitious gym-focused activewear retailers.
Gymshark Stratford, Westfield store, follows the successful opening of its debut flagship, which opened on London’s Regent Street in 2022. The company’s goal is to become “a globally iconic British brand,” reaching the shores of the U.S. and beyond.
The Westfield store’s footprint is smaller than the 18,000-square-foot Regent Street store; however, Gymshark Stratford is a new concept that offers something a little different. In addition to browsing and shopping Gymshark products IRL, customers can also buy exclusive Gymshark Stratford products, enabling the retailer to highlight different product collections.
Earlier this year, Gymshark opened permanent spaces in Selfridges in London and Manchester Trafford Centre, seeing the department store become its first wholesale partner.
Gymshark’s founder and chief executive, Ben Francis, has his site’s set on U.S. growth, stating, “It’s the biggest fitness market in the world, and our goal is to become a globally iconic British brand. We want to be known not just online but across all facets of the market, and that requires a strategic presence in key locations.”
The Netherlands, France, and Germany are Gymshark’s “fastest-growing regions“ in Europe, although the company reportedly plans to focus on its UK store rollout and the U.S., with plans to open a New York City pop-up in the next 12 to 18 months. “I’d rather go slow and really learn from this, and then we can double down afterward. I don’t want to open 50 stores and then close 30,“ Francis continued.
To support the company’s expansion plans, it hired former Adidas Global VP Hannah Mercer as the newly created general manager position for wholesale and retail.
Last month, Gymshark also announced a new brand platform, “We Do Gym,” to position the company as a gym brand first and as the foundation for all brand and marketing—telling the story of “what Gymshark is all about,” that”harkens back to the roots of the brand.”
Images courtesy Gymshark
