Gymshark, an ambitious gym-focused apparel company, has established its second standalone location in the UK. Given the brand’s continued success, additional foreign locations are anticipated. Later on, it wants to establish itself as “a globally iconic British brand,” with the US as a primary focus.
Ben Francis, founder and CEO of Gymshark, noted that the company’s entry into the physical retail sector has enabled it to integrate product presentation with in-store event staging, which has turned into a “remarkable” recipe for success.
“We’ve learned that the customer loves events, and they love to be able to touch and feel the product and try the product,” he stated. As a result, it is anticipated that future stores would continue to integrate the two aspects.
Gymshark also established long-term locations in Selfridges in Manchester Trafford Centre and London earlier this year, marking the department store’s first-ever wholesale partnership. But in terms of global expansion, the US is crucial since it represents the brand’s “biggest market and also our biggest opportunity.”
Gymshark’s “fastest-growing regions” in Europe are the Netherlands, France, and Germany. However, in the next 12 to 18 months, the company will concentrate on opening a UK location and taking over the US with the aid of a pop-up store in New York City before expanding into new markets.
Hannah Mercer, a former global vice president of Adidas, was appointed to the newly established position of general manager for wholesale and retail, which partially reflects that expansion aim. Francis stated that her appointment is related to those goals for global expansion.
