Sports Direct opens Cardiff flagship featuring new Outdoor concept

Sports Direct has opened its latest flagship store at 63-67 Queen Street in Cardiff, spanning 60,000 sq ft across three floors and featuring the retailer’s new Outdoor concept, with brands including The North Face, Columbia, Salomon and Karrimor.

The store also features Sports Direct’s newest brand partner, On, further elevating its offering in the Run category.

The Cardiff location marks the fourth Sports Direct flagship to open, adding to stores in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Ger Wright, Managing Director of Sports at Frasers Group, said: "As we continue to elevate our unique proposition, the opening of our new Cardiff flagship store marks the launch of our eagerly anticipated new Outdoor category concept as it continues to be a growing area of interest for our consumers.

"As the appetite for outdoor adventurers increases, we want to provide our consumers with an unrivalled retail experience through trail running, trekking, hiking and beyond.

"Driven by the strength of our expansion into Europe, the engaging and innovative Outdoor concept supports our mission to become the number one sporting goods retailer in EMEA."

Sports Direct has identified Gen Z as the number one group growing the outdoor market, with hiking becoming the fastest growing category among that generation. In a statement, the retailer said: "Sports Direct want to become the go-to outdoor destination for this newly identified generation of outdoor explorers by offering the right brands, assortment and expertise both in store and online."

Key features of the Outdoor concept include Base Camp, an immersive space where consumers can use different technologies and staff expertise to find the perfect products. The Base Camp includes:

• Terrain tester - allowing consumers to test out outdoor shoes on different types of terrain before purchasing.
• Weighted bags- a selection of backpacks which are pre-weighted, allowing consumers to discover which backpack is ideal for their expedition.
• Scan & Learn stations - consumers can use their phones to scan a QR code and access information on everything they need for their trip outdoors.
• Strava partnership- a 60-day free trial exclusive to Sports Direct customers visiting the Cardiff store, giving consumers access to local hiking routes via the Strava route planner.
• Lacing Guide- explaining how to lace your walking/hiking shoes.
• Packing Guide- diving into how to pack for your trip, whether it’s for a day or a week.
• Interactive digital mannequins- advising consumers on the best product for different types of weather.

As well as the new Outdoor store concept, the Cardiff flagship will feature specialist sporting areas for Sports Direct’s Football, Rugby, and Running categories, helping consumers achieve the most out of their training.

Sports fans will also have access to the world’s biggest sports brands including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, New Balance and Asics.

Additionally, the new Cardiff store has dedicated areas for Frasers Group-owned USC, covering everything from branded denim and "urban fashion" to accessories and footwear, Game, the leading gaming retailer, and the launch of Evans Go – an express version of Evans Cycles stores.