Gymshark’s second store opens in Westfield with international rollout coming, US key

Gymshark opened its second standalone UK store at the weekend and the brand’s ongoing success is expected to spawn more openings internationally for the ambitious gym-focused activewear retailer.

Ultimately, its goal is to become “a globally iconic British brand” further down the line with the US a key target.

For now, the latest retail unit in London’s Westfield Stratford City mall is testament to the “incredibly successful” debut flagship it opened on London’s Regent Street in 2022.

It said the move into the physical retail space has allowed it to combine staging in-store events alongside product presentation, that has evolved into a “remarkable” recipe for success, according to Gymshark’s founder and chief executive Ben Francis.

He said: “We’ve learned that the customer loves events, and they love to be able to touch and feel the product and try the product” so continuing to stage combine the two facets is expected to be a feature of future stores. 

However, given that the Westfield store can’t match Regent Street for size (18,000 sq ft), the emphasis will be tilted more to shopping and product, enabling it to highlight different product ranges.

In a statement Francis said: “I want great locations that are in places… that really allow us to showcase the brand,” noting that Gymshark is “actively looking across the UK, the US, and Europe [but is] committed to finding “only the right units”. That means the brand will be “unit-led” rather than targeting store numbers.

Earlier this year, Gymshark also opened permanent spaces in Selfridges in London and Manchester Trafford Centre as the department store became its first-ever wholesale partner.

Internationally, though, the US is key as it’s the brand’s “biggest market and also our biggest opportunity”.

“It’s the biggest fitness market in the world, and our goal is to become a globally iconic British brand. We want to be known not just online but across all facets of the market, and that requires a strategic presence in key locations.”

In Europe, Netherlands, France and Germany are Gymshark’s “fastest-growing regions” although the business will focus on its UK store rollout and conquering the US with the help a New York City pop-up store in the next 12-18 months, before taking on new territories

“I’d rather go slow and really learn from this, and then we can double-down afterwards. I don’t want to open up 50 stores and then close 30,” he says.

Part of that expansion target is reflected in the appointment of former Adidas global VP Hannah Mercer to the newly created role of general manager for wholesale and retail. Francis said her appointment ties into that international expansion plans.
 
Last month, Gymshark also announced its new brand platform ‘We Do Gym’, in a bid to strategically position the business as a gym brand first and foremost, setting itself apart from athleisure rivals.
 
The new platform acts as the foundation for all of its brand and marketing activity for the coming 12 months, specifically designed and named to tell everyone, including existing members of the community, “what Gymshark is all about”.
 
Francis says the launch has been met with “incredible” praise, because the campaign “harks back to the roots of the brand”.