Last week, sportswear supplier Puma opened its first-ever North American flagship store in New York City. The store features 18,000 sf of interactive space over two floors, and double-height storefronts across 160 ft of wraparound frontage.
Germany-based Puma, the 11th-largest supplier of athletic apparel and shoes, has more than 100 outlet stores in the U.S. But this unit, located on the corner of 49th Street and Fifth Avenue, is its first full-size, full-price store. From this location, Puma will compete with other like retailers with shops on Fifth Avenue, including Nike, Asics, and Adidas. Under Armour is also building a flagship store in this neighborhood.
“PUMA continues to see solid growth within North America and this new store reaffirms our commitment to this important market,” says Bob Philion, President of Puma North America, in a prepared statement. “From visitors that come to experience this iconic city, to lifelong New Yorkers, we’re excited to open our doors in a vibrant and diverse community that aligns with our ‘Forever Faster’ mentality.”
Forever Faster is the company’s marketing tagline.
The flagship's 18,000 sf are spread over two floors.
The new store showcases customer-focused technology in a variety of ways:
• A Customization Studio allows shoppers to customize and personalize their footwear, apparel and accessories using (among other things) paints, dips, dyes, patchwork, embroidery, 3D knitting, laser printing, pinning, and material “upcycling.” Puma is partnering with a rotating collection of artists and designers to assist customers in this personalization effort.
• Customers interested in motorsports can hop into professional-grade F1 racing simulators and race (virtually, that is) down the streets of New York City.
Racing simulators take customers on a virtual ride down New York City streets. This interactive exhibit reinforces Puma's longstanding support of motorsports.
• Soccer fans among the store’s customers can test the latest Puma-branded boots on an in-store simulator that purportedly mimics the field pitch of San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, while being coached virtually by Puma brand ambassadors and two pro footballers.
• Technology—specifically iMirror by Nobal, placed throughout the store—allows customers to view products in alternate colors and styles via RFID-enabled imaging.
RFID technology allows customers to see alternate colors and styles simultaneously.
• In the store’s basketball zone, customers can enjoy stadium seating and the large-screen NBA2K gaming experience. This area of the store will also feature QR codes located on all products. (Puma re-entered the basketball sector last year, and is looking to tap into a growing trend toward fusing sports and lifestyle apparel.)
• Starting Labor Day, the store launched Chinatown Market University, where patrons can customize products using Chinatown Market’s printing technology. Chinatown Market’s team will also be teaching classes inside the store. This collaboration is expected to pop up in other Puma outlets in 2020.
Puma’s internal store design team worked with Design Republic on the interior of the new store. Shawmut Design and Construction was the project’s GC, and the exterior design was attributed to Seele. Gable did the A/V design and installation.
Puma did not disclose the cost of the new store.
Puma, which reported an 18.1% increase in sales in the Americas through the first half of 2019, will be competing against several other sports apparel and shoe brands with stores on New York's Fifth Avenue.
Related Stories
| May 5, 2014
8 modern trends in student dining
Creating a dining experience for the modern millennial requires not only a deep knowledge of good design, but also an understanding of what makes today’s students tick. Culinary designers and consultants provide insights into what trends are transforming the campus table.
| Apr 30, 2014
Visiting Beijing's massive Chaoyang Park Plaza will be like 'moving through a urban forest'
Construction work has begun on the 120,000-sm mixed-use development, which was envisioned by MAD architects as a modern, urban forest.
| Apr 29, 2014
Best of Canada: 12 projects nab nation's top architectural prize [slideshow]
The conversion of a Mies van der Rohe-designed gas station and North Vancouver City Hall are among the recently completed projects to win the 2014 Governor General's Medal in Architecture.
| Apr 29, 2014
USGBC launches real-time green building data dashboard
The online data visualization resource highlights green building data for each state and Washington, D.C.
| Apr 11, 2014
First look: KPF's designs for DreamWorks in the massive Shanghai DreamCenter
Two blocks of offices will be centerpiece of new cultural and lifestyle district in the West Bund Media Port.
| Apr 9, 2014
Steel decks: 11 tips for their proper use | BD+C
Building Teams have been using steel decks with proven success for 75 years. Building Design+Construction consulted with technical experts from the Steel Deck Institute and the deck manufacturing industry for their advice on how best to use steel decking.
| Apr 8, 2014
Gehry, Foster unveil plans for Battersea Power Station redevelopment [slideshow]
Phase 3 of the massive redevelopment of the London landmark will include more than 1,300 residential units, a 160-room hotel, and 350,000 sf of retail space.
| Apr 2, 2014
8 tips for avoiding thermal bridges in window applications
Aligning thermal breaks and applying air barriers are among the top design and installation tricks recommended by building enclosure experts.
| Mar 26, 2014
Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies
Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com.
| Mar 20, 2014
Common EIFS failures, and how to prevent them
Poor workmanship, impact damage, building movement, and incompatible or unsound substrate are among the major culprits of EIFS problems.