Said Mark M. O’Brien, president and officer of Mizuno USA and chairman of Mizuno Canada, “What better place to tell the Mizuno story than our hometown?”

Writer: Carly Terwilliger

Mizuno’s Experience Center is officially open in The Battery in Atlanta, offering customers the chance to swing bats and clubs in a virtual environment and test out running shoes on a treadmill, among other features. Here’s a peek inside the Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company’s new Hotlanta digs.

Designed to be an immersive environment that tells the Mizuno story through its gear, the center engages guests through interactive displays using RFID technology and specialized labs for each sport – baseball, softball, volleyball, golf and running, to name a few – that allow guests the ability to test gear and aiding them in their quest to boost performance.

The brand’s North American headquarters is based in Atlanta, and its status as Official Baseball Gear Partner of the Braves is fully on display in the Experience.

“What better place to tell the Mizuno story than our hometown. From our partnerships with Atlanta Track Club and Atlanta Braves, to creative sponsor integrations at SunTrust Park and new partnerships that will be announced shortly, Mizuno has so much to offer Atlanta as its hometown sports brand,” said Mark M. O’Brien, president and officer of Mizuno USA and chairman of Mizuno Canada. “We are excited to open the doors to our Experience Center and are honored to be a part of this iconic moment in the Braves’ and the city’s history.”

The bat Swing Lab improves distance by analyzing an individual’s swing data gathered from the Bat Interactive Optimization System (BIOS). Using a Bluetooth sensor and patented algorithm, BIOS is able to determine a hitters’ ideal bat length and weight for optimum performance. Once fit for the correct bat, guests can swing away at iconic Major League ballparks in the bat simulator powered by HitTrax.

In similar fashion, the golf Swing Lab features the patented Performance Fitting System (PFS) that takes the guesswork out of a club fitting in three swings by identifying the ideal shaft, shaft flex, iron model and set make-up for an individual golfer’s swing. Guests can then test their skills further in the golf simulator playing classic golf games on one of 60 world-class golf courses, including Old Course at St. Andrews and Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The Run Lab gives runners a place to be fit for the optimal pair of Mizuno running shoes that supports their unique stride, and also test Mizuno’s Wave technology as they virtually run the course of great outdoor spaces including the AJC Peachtree Road Race.

Volleyball players and teams can check out a variety of volleyball footwear and apparel options for both indoor and beach.

Check out a slide show of the store and Grand Opening event below.

Photos courtesy Mizuno