Sport Chalet, Inc. has opened its new store prototype in downtown Los Angeles located at the FIGat7th shopping center. The modern store layout, designed by architecture firm Gensler, introduces the Expert Center, a hub in the center of the store designed to host classes and clinics that encourage customers of all experience levels to discover something new and embrace an active lifestyle.
Kicking-off the grand opening, Sport Chalet will host 52 weeks of consecutive in-store clinics that will allow sports enthusiasts to take part in classes, such as cycling, training, hiking and scuba, with experienced and professionally trained expert staff members.
“We did the research and found that the downtown Los Angeles community in particular is underserved today. There's a critical need for a community-oriented retailer that can provide an opportunity for residents, commuters and tourists to try, learn and experience their preferred sport at ease,” said Craig Levra, chairman and chief executive officer of Sport Chalet. “The new store location at FIGat7th provides customers who are both well-educated and experienced in their sports of choice, or who have an innate need to try something new, with the right gear and resources to get in the game.”
The design team at Gensler worked hand in hand with Sport Chalet to reinvigorate Sport Chalet's retail identity as the urban resource for sporting gear, advice and support from the Experts. The new layout also includes flexible fixtures and modules that allow for the store to be transformed overnight. Unlike the existing Sport Chalet one-stop-shop format encompassing 42,000 square feet, this 27,000 square feet store will carry targeted sporting equipment, including cycling, training, scuba and running gear. Consumers will also be able to order from all of Sport Chalet's offerings through iPad systems located throughout the store.
“The store design emphasizes both aesthetics and function,” said Joshua Breeden, the project architect at Gensler. “We wanted to create a space that highlights what Sport Chalet offers above any other specialty sporting goods retailer — Expert positioning and knowledge. With this in mind, we designed the Expert Center — a landmark location within the store — to facilitate customer interaction with the Experts on any topic ranging from bike repair to the best surfing spots in the area. The audio-visual capabilities, reconfigurable seating and display elements in this area also allow the Experts to conduct a wide range of instructional and hands-on events throughout the year.”
The 68 Experts, currently staffed at FIGat7th, will continue to grow during peak seasons to host additional educational sessions for a variety of sports. In anticipation of the tourist traction, seven foreign language speaking experts who are fluent in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Hindi will also be on staff to assist shoppers. FIGat7th will also have the robust rental equipment program for which Sport Chalet is known, in order to continue to provide an easy way for consumers to arrive at their destinations ready to play. The store is located on the ground floor with direct access to the street and parking lot to ensure convenient flow of product into and out of the store.
Founded in 1959 by Norbert Olberz, Sport Chalet has 53 stores in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah; an online store at www.sportchalet.com; a Team Sales division; and offers more than 50 specialty services for the sports enthusiast, including online same day delivery, climbing, backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, avalanche education, and mountain trekking instruction, car rack installation, snowboard and ski rental and repair, Scuba training and certification, Scuba boat charters, team sales, gait analysis, baseball/softball glove steaming and lacing, racquet stringing, and bicycle tune-up and repair at its store locations.
