Gymshark expands with second store in London

The fitness clothing retailer will open its second store in the capital at Westfield Stratford City after the “incredibly successful” launch of its flagship on Regent Street in October 2022.

The new store will occupy 7,000 sq ft in the UK’s busiest shopping centre and create more than 75 jobs. It is set to open in the summer of 2024.

Ben Francis, Gymshark founder and chief executive, 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 has 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.”

Building community awareness

As Gymshark rapidly grows its community of over 20 million people across 200 countries, Mitch Healey, global retail and events director, Gymshark told Retail Week what fans of the brand can expect from its second store.

Global retail and events director Mitch Healey said: “The success of Regent Street has driven the move to Stratford and more stores. We always try and adapt, learn and innovate at Gymshark. So what you’ll see in Stratford is the next step of how we see Regent Street evolving in terms of look, feel, design and concept.  

“We’ve got a slightly new concept to the look and feel to this store compared with Regent Street. And we want to really focus on getting the product in front of the consumer this time, as well as the community. It’s a little bit different in terms of not having all the space in the street that you have on Regent Street, but we can still activate community within this store and around the area. 

Speaking on the importance of stores and in-store activations, Healey said: “We realised very early on that, yes, we were building a brand and products, but we were actually building a community. And that was the most important thing for us. Because if we focus on the community and do right by the community, the brand will sort of grow itself in return.  

“So for us events are a crucial part of our business and they’re a key pillar and a key touchpoint for our community. 

“I think offline should be important in any business. It’s very easy now, and especially in ecommerce, to build a website in a matter of minutes and look pretty credible and be very credible. But I feel like offline is a great way to put your money where your mouth is and show: what can we do with the business?”