Online running shoes, running clothing and outdoor gear retailer SportsShoes.com has unveiled plans for a new flagship experiential store. It will be located on Shoreditch High Street, London.
Spanning more than 5,000 sq ft across three floors and called ‘House of SportsShoes’, the store will be a digital-first running destination. It will deliver the retailer’s ecosystem within a physical environment.
The flagship store, which is scheduled to launch in early March, will provide a programme of activity before, during and after the TCS London Marathon on 26 April.
Alongside product and performance experiences, House of SportsShoes will offer a dedicated events floor featuring a Q&A arena and community zone. This area is designed to host professional athlete experiences, podcasts and brand activations. Further details will be announced in due course.
House of SportsShoes will give runners the chance to try more than 100 top-rated running shoes in-store. The store will showcase products from brand partners including Nike, Asics, New Balance, Adidas, Hoka, Saucony and On.
At the heart of the concept is a frictionless, “no-bags-no-hassle” model. Shoppers will be able to try on products in-store, then complete their purchase and pay in-store. Orders will be fulfilled from the 17,000 products at the SportsShoes.com warehouse and delivered next day.
Using RFID technology, shoppers can bring each shoe to life on-screen. This reveals the innovation and performance features built into the product.
The flagship store will also include a Running Lab featuring cutting-edge running performance technology and gait analysis. Specialist support will help customers find the right shoe.
House of SportsShoes is the latest evolution of the retailer’s stated position of being the most physically present digital retailer in its space. Over the past 18 months, SportsShoes.com has been involved in the delivery of more than 100 activation events across the UK and internationally.
These include Nike Test and Trial initiatives, Parkrun, RunThrough UK events, Kendal Mountain Festival and activations at nine marathons. The marathons include London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Boston, New York and Osaka.
The retailer says this distinct approach has allowed SportsShoes.com to reach seven million consumers physically during that period.
SportsShoes.com managing director, Brett Bannister, said: “We regard ourselves as unrivalled in running so when we started the ideation for House of SportsShoes our objective was to create an unrivalled physical retail experience in our space.
“We chose Shoreditch because of its deep connection to London’s running culture and the strong community of run clubs in the area.
“Our flagship store will be the apex of us integrating our digital ecosystem with a physical location and range of complementary experiences, making it unlike any other running retailer’s offer.
“We are hugely excited to be bringing big launches from Nike, Asics, New Balance and Adidas, appearances from the running glitterati and one-of-a-kind events as only SportsShoes.com knows how.”
The retailer will reveal further details on what will be happening at House of SportsShoes in the coming weeks.
Established in Bradford in 1982, SportsShoes.com achieved a record turnover of £93.3m for the year ended 28 February 2025. This represented a four per cent increase in revenues and a 13.3 per cent year-on-year increase in EBITDA to £6m.
For further information on the retailer, visit www.sportsshoes.com
