Next weekend, Champs Sports will host the grand opening of its newest retail concept, a 35,000-square-foot store in southern Florida complete with an indoor multi-sport court.
It’s a new retail concept that Champs is dubbing Homefield, and it is the largest Champs store to date. By hosting sporting events, as well as by carrying more inventory, Homefield is Champs’ attempt to serve both the performance and lifestyle needs of modern athletes.
The sporting goods and apparel categories had a banner 2020: golf, racquet sports and basketball equipment sales were all up between 25% and 40% in year-over-year sales, according to The NPD Group. However, by 2021, sporting equipment sales had slowed, pacing behind 2020 sales levels. Champs Sports — founded in 1984 and owned by Foot Locker — has seen a similar trajectory. Year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2020, the sub-brand’s sales were up mid-single digits. But, by the fourth quarter of 2021, Champs’ sales were down low single digits year-over-year. New retail concepts like Homefield are a way for Champs to encourage customers to spend more time — and money –in their stores.
Source: Modern Retail
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