14 Jan It’s official: Jordan stores are coming
Jordan Brand this weekend confirmed that it plans to build stores that will exclusively sell the Nike brand’s apparel and footwear.
The Business Journal reported in November that Nike is ready to push the Jordan Brand further out from its shadow an build Jordan-specific retail stores as well as move the brand into new product categories, such as running.
The first store — which for the time being looks like a giant box of Air Jordan sneakers — is in New York City just a block from Madison Square Garden. It is the fist in a “series of planned premium Jordan retail” outlets, the company said in a news release.
“We’re excited to launch North America’s first Jordan Brand exclusive retail experience for athletes at the top of their game who demand the absolute best in both performance and style,” said Jordan Brand President Larry Miller, in a news release.
Jordan Brand is working in partnership with the retailer Footaction on the concept, known as Flight 23.
“We will work with Footaction to bring Flight 23 to markets across North America, and can’t imagine a better place to start than one of the best basketball cities in the world, New York.”
Details about the store’s opening date weren’t immediately available.
Nike doesn’t break out the Jordan Brand’s sales on its financial statements.
Matt Powell, a footwear and apparel analyst with SportsOneSource, estimates Jordan has $2.5 billion in annual footwear sales in the U.S. That’s good for a No. 2 market share (11.8 percent). It only trails its parent company.