Gymshark, the fitness community and apparel brand, today announces its plans to open a permanent store in Westfield Stratford City, London. This will be Gymshark’s second permanent store and follows the success of its flagship store on Regent Street, which opened in October 2022. Working with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Gymshark will take control of 7,000sq ft. The store will create 75+ jobs and will open in the summer of 2024.
A fair few eyebrows were raised when Gymshark announced plans to take a huge store on Regent Street. We were just coming out of a global pandemic, and the struggles faced by Bricks and Mortar retailers were well documented. For a previously solely Direct-To-Consumer e-commerce brand, the move in the opposite direction seemed like a departure from form. However, Gymshark has a history of bucking trends and championing disruption and innovation across its business – Joining Music.ly in 2018 seemed like a strange choice as the app at the time was intended for musical duets, Music.ly later rebranded to TikTok and now sees Gymshark as the biggest fitness brand in the world on the platform. With an audience of over 20 million on social media, the brand continues to seek ways to unite its community in real life, and this new space in Westfield Stratford City is hoped to become a home to the fitness enthusiasts of East London.Further details of what people can expect from the store and the experiences they will get will be revealed closer to opening.
Ben Francis, founder and CEO of Gymshark, said: “When we opened Regent Street, many people asked if this was the first of many stores. The honest answer at the time was that we didn’t know. It quickly became incredibly successful for our brand, and store number two was on the horizon. It’s why we’re so happy to find our second home at the busiest shopping centre in the United Kingdom. Whether it’s to come and train, join our Run Club or grab a new hoodie, our community have clearly told us that hanging out in real life is something they love. So, to be able to bring them a second destination in such a great location that so many people visit is just incredible. I can’t wait for the doors to open.”
Kate Orwin, leasing director UK at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, says: “Given Gymshark’s significant social media influence and devoted following, particularly among fitness enthusiasts, we’re delighted that Gymshark has chosen Westfield Stratford City as the site of its second UK store. This is testament to URW’s dedication to delivering vibrant, cutting-edge retail destinations, with this latest signing adding further weight to the centre’s impressive sports and athleisure offer.”
