The newly opened Nike Shanghai store has been branded the sportswear giant’s first House of Innovation.
Nike Shanghai 001 – which will be followed by a second House of Innovation in New York City this fall – is billed as “a cross-category, consumer-focused experience” spanning four floors and 41,150sqft on the city’s shopping hub, Nanjing East Road.
The new store concept offers a peek behind the curtain of Nike’s largest innovation moments, matched with personalised and digitally-connected shopping journeys. It also offers city-exclusive products and collectibles that can’t be bought anywhere else.
Nike says one of the pinnacle features of Nike Shanghai 001 is “hyper-local”, exclusive products and gear on display on the first floor, designated Shanghai Shop.
The House of Innovation stores, which appear to be positioned a level above flagship status, will be the first retail outlets to launch new Nike products. At Nike Shanghai 001, that includes the LeBron 16, Air Jordan 33 and Pegasus Turbo styles.
At the centre of the store is the Nike Arena, where shoppers will find a rotating display of key styles and installations – from the Zoom X live to a Battleknit LeBron sculpture.
A digitally enabled Center Court will host speaker sessions, workshops and digitally led trialing sessions.
Nike says its Nike Expert Studio on the top floor offers personalisation. Here, NikePlus loyalty program members can make advanced or in-store bookings with athletes to gear up, get styled or get matched with exclusive and personalised product picks in private sessions.
Nike by You stations in the store provide unique customisation opportunities. Customers can have one-on-one sessions with a designer to customise selected shoes, adding such things as dip-dye or embroidery, and walk away with freshly designed footwear.
This story originally appeared on sister site Inside Retail Asia.
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