The North Face opened its first-ever flagship store in New York City on iconic Fifth Avenue Wednesday morning. The new 20,000-square-foot store, located at 510 Fifth Ave., offers an immersive brand experience for customers unlike anything the brand has created before as it brings the beauty of outdoor exploration in while inspiring customers to push their limits outside.

The new store provides shoppers with an interactive and engaging consumer experience, including:

  • The store boasts a large climbing wall where customers can test out products.
  • The store will also feature custom products available only at the Fifth Avenue location, including a limited edition Original Daypack collection, a collaboration with lifestyle brand New Era and on-site product customization featuring vintage and new collectible patches in partnership with Lot, Stock and Barrel.
  • The store has specialist associates on hand to assist customers. These specialists have been specifically trained in their area of expertise and are there to help consumers quickly and easily pinpoint the best technical apparel and ensure they’re equipped with the right product for their adventures.

The store also features a design aesthetic distinctive to this location, which is housed in the landmarked Manufacturer’s Trust building. For the first time, The North Face architects collaborated with the product equipment team on the store design. Many of the features in the store were created using the same high-quality materials The North Face uses in its products. For example, the changing rooms, which are modeled after The North Face tent design, were made with the same nylon and aluminum used to construct the brand’s premium tents.

Launch Events Celebrate Heritage And Look Forward
The store opened Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. by offering shoppers a variety of promotions throughout the day including historic The North Face catalogues and Fifth Avenue t-shirts, patches and chalk bags. In the evening, the store will feature an acoustic performance by St. Lucia, the Brooklyn-based Indie pop/rock band originally from South Africa and currently headlining a tour across the U.S. The public may line up for entry to the concert at the store at 6 p.m. EST. The store will remain open for shopping until 10 p.m. EST.

Flagship Continues The North Face Brand’s Legacy Of Exploration
This year marks the 50th anniversary of The North Face – a significant milestone for the brand and the outdoor apparel industry. Considering the occasion and in honor of the company’s legacy, the store opening is an important part of celebrating the company’s path forward. From humble beginnings as a single storefront to its rise as a global market leader, the company has been dedicated to serving its customers, fulfilling their spirit of adventure and inspiring them to never stop exploring.

This store is a natural extension of the brand’s expansion into urban exploration. With 80 percent of the U.S. population living in an urban area as of the 2010 U.S. Census, The North Face knows the next generation of explorers will likely live in or near a densely populated urban environment. This new store is part of the company’s commitment to outfitting its consumers for any aspect of their daily journeys, whether that means protecting them against the elements in a city or preparing them for mountain adventures.

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor Inc., was founded in 1966 with the goal of preparing outdoor athletes for the rigors of their next adventure. Today it is the world’s leading outdoor brand with more than $1 billion in annual sales.

Photo courtesy The North Face