Wilson opens second New York store

Dive Brief:

Almost a year after opening its first store, Wilson Sporting Goods on Tuesday announced its second store in New York City, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive.
Located on the Upper East Side, the 8,000-square-foot store is Wilson’s third overall, in addition to a Chicago storefront and a flagship in SoHo that opened in January 2022. Another New York store, in Columbus Circle, is set to open next month, the retailer said.
Unlike its other locations, the newest store features an “Equipment Room” where shoppers can rent certain products to test them before buying. Rental fees range from $5 to $10 depending on the product and will be subtracted from the price if a customer ultimately buys the item.

Dive Insight:

Wilson is going all-in on New York City with the opening of a second permanent store in the metropolis, soon to be followed by a third. That’s in addition to pop-ups that will open “in key locations throughout the summer,” according to the company.

“New York continues to be a priority market for Wilson as we expand our retail footprint,” Gordon Devin, president and general manager of the Wilson Brand, said in a statement. “From permanent retail locations to pop-ups, we will celebrate athletes of all levels and offer them the best of Wilson, ranging from premium products to curated experiences.”

At this location, services include racket stringing, ball glove personalization and club fittings, and shoppers are encouraged to rent products to try them out before buying them. The rental program covers products in major sports including baseball, softball, tennis, pickleball, basketball, football and volleyball, the retailer said. A golf simulator will also be available for customers to use.

Wilson's Upper East Side store will allow shoppers to rent equipment and test it out before purchasing.

Courtesy of Wilson Sporting Goods

The store will sell Wilson’s lifestyle apparel line as well — the company launched Wilson Sportswear in May last year as it began to plot out a more DTC-focused strategy. Wilson recently released a performance tennis collection to add to its apparel offering in the sport, noting that tennis has been the “main growth vehicle” for Wilson’s apparel. Apparel as a category has made Wilson stores more friendly to repeat purchases, Devin told Retail Dive at the start of the year.

As the brand expands its reach, Wilson’s approach to physical retail includes opening a mix of flagships, smaller community-focused stores, and pop-ups.

“In terms of total numbers, we’re not planning on opening hundreds of stores,” Devin said earlier this year. “We are planning on opening a decent number, so it would be in the 10s of each of those formats over the next few years as we really expand the reach, the breadth of our brand [and] as we create stronger relationships with our customers."