Sports Direct has lifted the lid on its newest store concept on London’s Oxford Street as it accelerates its “elevation” strategy.

The sportswear and equipment specialist has ploughed £10m into a major revamp of the 50,000 sq ft unit, which it wants to become known as “the best sports store in the world”.

The retailer has worked closely with major third-party brands including Nike, Adidas and Under Armour on the refit, which it started last autumn when non-essential shops were forced to close.

Sports Direct has kitted the store out with more than 100 digital screens, while a giant 3D hologram at the main entrance will allow the retailer to showcase seasonal products on a rotating basis – such as Nike’s England football kit during Euro 2020.

A ‘heroes hub’ in the centre of the store will also change its product focus regularly, in keeping with the sporting calendar, showcasing running products around the London marathon or tennis gear during Wimbledon, for example.

The store has a more inclusive feel, with menswear and womenswear stocked alongside each other on the shop floor, while mannequins better reflect Sports Direct’s customer base – products are sampled on mannequins that resemble amputees, wheelchair users, and men and women of different body types.

Sports Direct has created specialist zones for different sports, which include its first-ever sports bra fitting service and a running analysis area, in partnership with Asics – the first time the Japanese brand has offered such a service outside of its own stores.

The retailer has also attempted to make the store more interactive with additions including selfie mirrors and PS5 consoles. Professional athletes will visit the store on a regular basis to meet shoppers and play video games against them.

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The basement of the four-floor store hosts its USC concept, selling a range of lifestyle brands including CP Company, Armani, Lacoste and Farah. The store stocks 140 brands in total.

Sports Direct said the concept would be rolled out to major cities across the UK with two similar flagships planned for Manchester and Birmingham – in the former Primark on New Street – during its current financial year.

The retailer’s head of elevation Michael Murray said the business was “ripping up the rule book” with the look and feel of the store, and believes the project marks the start of “a new era of Sports Direct”.

Murray told Retail Week: “This is a completely new concept. It’s an evolution of our Sports Direct elevated stores that we have in places like Thurrock and Watford. We have taken that to a whole new standard. We want this to be known as the best sports store in the world and when I say sports store, I don’t mean sneaker store, I mean a genuine sports store – running, football, cricket, tennis, athletics wear [and] a fashion department in the basement.

“We have set ourselves out for this to be the world’s best sports store in a globally recognised retail destination. There are loads of good sports stores but they are usually in a big box on a retail park, there is nothing in big, global city centres like Oxford Street.”

Murray insisted the new format is “completely different to what you’d expect from a normal Sports Direct store” and said such stores are helping to spark a “huge mindset shift” among its customers and, more importantly, third-party brand partners such as Nike.

“They absolutely love the elevation strategy and love that we are making this huge statement on Oxford Street,” Murray said. “It gives them confidence in our commitment and our determination to achieve what we have set out to achieve: to be the number one sporting goods retailer across Europe.

“Product is always improving. It’s great quality compared to where we’ve come from as Sports Direct. I’ll always be striving for more and better branded products and access but I’m happy with where we are today in our journey and our elevation strategy.”