Activewear brand Under Armour will begin selling its products at 1,100 Kohl’s locations starting next March through a new partnership, Under Armour’s top executive said in an earnings call with investors. The company also announced plans to move into the former location of the iconic FAO Schwartz toy store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Kevin Plank, chairman and CEO of Under Armour, said the decision was “not a channel consideration but a consumer consideration.” He added it was meant to address the difficulty of some consumers, particularly women, in finding Under Armour product in malls, sporting goods locations and department stores.
Other retail partners of Under Armour include Macy’s, Belk and Lord & Taylor.
“One of the top retailers of activewear in the U.S., Kohl’s has a large and loyal consumer base, the majority of which are women shoppers,” Plank told analysts. “We want to reach our consumer where they expect to find Under Armour product, and we’ll continue to partner with the retailers that provide us the opportunity to showcase the Under Armour brand.”
Plank said the Kohl’s decision was not “reactionary” to any moves by competitors. “This is a proactive move for us that has been in the works for the last several years,” he said.
Calling Kohl’s “a great evolution for us,” Plank said “We think that the female consumer is there, she’s shopping and she’s buying. We think there’s a big opportunity.”
Plank said Under Armour plans to open a store in the FAO Schwarz building sometime in the next couple of years. “The approximately 53,000 square foot space is one of the most recognized and high-traffic areas in all of New York,” he said. “Our plan is to build the most breathtaking and exciting consumer experience ever conceived at retail.”
Mike O’Brien is Senior Editor of Multichannel Merchant