Wilson Scores with Physical Stores

Pro Tip: In the post-pandemic retail economy, creating physical spaces for brands to interact with their consumers is growing in importance. Physical retail allows for broader customer acquisition and enhanced brand immersion and storytelling, which deepens engagement and helps brands capitalize on lasting habits created during the pandemic. Renowned sports brand Wilson Sporting Goods’ history dates back more than 100 years. The brand caters to racquet sports, baseball, softball, football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and golf players with merchandise ranging from sports equipment to apparel, footwear and accessories. Last year, Wilson (a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corp.) brought its heritage to life by opening its first brick-and-mortar location in Chicago the same city where the sporting goods giant was born. This year, the retailer completed a hat-trick and opened two new stores in New York — a flagship store in SoHo and a neighborhood store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Wilson also added two new shop-in-shop concepts inside Showfields Miami and Paragon Sports in New York in 2022. Next year, the brand plans to evolve its retail footprint and continue to build out its stores in Chicago and New York, as well as launch on the West Coast. So why expand into physical stores now after all this rich sports legacy? “The physical Wilson retail store is where we get to interact directly with our athletes and community,” Erin Pelton, Wilson’s director of retail stores, North America, tells Retail Leader Pro. “The pandemic reminded folks how critical human interaction is, and our stores allow consumers to experience a brand they’ve known their whole lives in a completely different way. Wilson brick-and-mortar stores provide a space for athletes to come together; they can try on sportswear, test out equipment or attend an event, such as a panel discussion on women’s sports. Nothing replaces the experience of testing out a new tennis racquet on our in-store hitting wall, which helps an athlete decide which gear is perfect for them.” Experiencing Wilson Wilson’s in-store design is inspired by the “future fieldhouse,” but the retailer updates the in-store graphics to reflect the seasons and calendar of sports. “We are incredibly proud of our 108-year history with sports, and you can see nods to Wilson’s heritage, our place on the court and on the field throughout our stores,” Pelton says. “From the custom football leather benches, to the courtliness on the floor, as well as our wheatpasted catalog pages on the walls, we are committed to honoring that heritage.” Wilson’s stores also reflect the communities in which they are located, and all contain some aspect of “educate, personalize and play.” For example, SoHo is home to its flagship store that is the fullest representation of the Wilson brand, offering multiple options of personalization and play in its Thomas E. Wilson Park — a unique indoor atrium space named after Wilson's founder. The gaming space can be transformed to hit tennis balls, demo clubs, play catch, shoot hoops and test out any product in the store. The atrium also features a graffiti mural by local New York artist Greg Lamarche to commemorate Wilson's history in sports and love for the city of New York. The Upper East Side is home to its neighborhood store that reflects the athletic tastes of the community, including a full pickleball court and a golf simulator. Wison also offers equipment rentals through the “Equipment Room” at its Columbus Circle store with its close proximity to Central Park. Additionally, customization and personalization are key to the Wilson experience, Pelton adds. Wilson is connecting with its consumers by: Offering racquet stringing for Wilson tennis racquets at all of its retail stores. Providing glove customization by Wilson’s Glove Gurus at its New York locations. For example, athletes can swap out webbing, choose their lace colors and have their baseball and softball gloves repaired by these craftspeople. Personalizing Wilson leather footballs and basketballs with a laser engraver at the SoHo store. “The customization options are ‘always on’ in our retail stores, and we also host in-store events that may include chain-stitching or airbrushing on our sportswear,” Pelton says. “You can always expect to leave with a one-of-a-kind item when you visit a Wilson store.”

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