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Dive Brief:
JD Sports opened a flagship store in Las Vegas on Saturday, according to a Monday press release from the company.
The nearly 29,000-square-foot location is at the BLVD shopping center on Las Vegas Boulevard. The flagship is the third in the U.S. for the U.K.-based retailer, joining signature stores on State Street in Chicago and Times Square in New York, per the company.
The Vegas store will feature drops and “only-at-JD” brand moments from the likes of Nike, Jordan, New Balance, Adidas, On and Asics. In-store features include a slide system to deliver stock straight to the shop floor, QR code scanning, mobile checkout and buy online, pick up in store. The store will also feature a two-level LED screen that fronts the strip.
Dive Insight:
The Las Vegas opening adds to JD Sports’ North American expansion efforts.
“Las Vegas is known for delivering next-level experiences, making it the perfect location for JD’s next U.S. flagship,” John Hall, managing director for JD North America, said in a statement. “We’re bringing our customers a retail experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the market, serving up the freshest and most desirable product from the biggest names in sports fashion.”
Over the years, the company has been expanding its presence in the North American market through acquisitions. In 2018, JD Sports purchased Finish Line for $558 million, followed by the acquisition of Shoe Palace in 2020 for $681 million and DTLR in 2021 for $495 million. In April of last year, JD Sports acquired U.S.-based athletic retailer Hibbett for $1.1 billion, further growing its position in the American market.
The retailer has also been strengthening its ties with popular U.S. brands, including Nike, which it expanded its connected loyalty program with last year after a successful partnership with the brand in Europe that launched in 2022.
JD Sports recently reported a revenue increase of 10.2% to 11.5 billion pounds ($15.4 billion at press time) for fiscal year 2025. North America represents 37% of the company’s revenue, while Europe is 31% and the U.K. 28%.