March 14, 2022
I am still incredibly proud to announce that Gymshark's first-ever flagship store will be located on Regent Street in London! Ever since I founded this brand back in 2012 (can you believe it's been 10 years?!), I've dreamed of this moment, and to now see Gymshark coming to life in bricks-and-mortar is truly mind-blowing.
How it started
Let me take you back to where this exciting opportunity originated. Amidst a global pandemic, our property team began searching for premises in London to accommodate our local employees, who had previously worked remotely. It was time to offer them a physical office space. During this search, we learned about a property becoming available on a well-known street—though not an office, we were intrigued nonetheless...
I remember Mitch Healey, our IRL Director, calling me to share that a store on Regent Street was available. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we need to seize it," he emphasized. While retail had been on our radar, this certainly expedited the process.
Gymshark's offline presence
Gymshark has always been an e-commerce business where everything we have done has been predominantly online, with the exception of a few events and pop-up stores. Online sales are what have led us to where we are today. However, as we have grown and Covid got in the way - we felt like we sadly got further away from our community.
My thoughts on Retail
I firmly believe Gymshark wouldn't be where it is today without the world tour we embarked on in 2016. It was our first in-person tour of meeting our community globally, and those who attended became the heart of everything we did. Bringing Gymshark back to a physical presence feels like a natural progression, allowing our community to gather once again—permanently.
Regarding retail, I've long held the belief that the best global brands in the next decade will be purpose-led, community-first brands that clearly define their values and position in the world. In the past, the growth model for high-street brands was centered around mass production and distribution, often through third-party retailers, resulting in broad product ranges lacking purpose.
The next steps
Looking ahead to March 2022, we now have our premises, our plans, and the foundation of our team in place. We are currently hiring individuals to represent Gymshark in our flagship store. We're thrilled to assemble an incredible and diverse team passionate about creating exceptional customer experiences. To learn more about how you can apply, watch this video and check the description for relevant links. 👇