Sports Direct is opening the doors to its third and newest flagship store in the country in Manchester’s Arndale shopping centre.

Opening on March 24, the 50,000 sq ft space will be the sportswear retailer’s most advanced store yet as it continues to invest in its retail offering across high streets in the UK and Europe. 

The new store has received a “multimillion-pound investment” and is designed to “bring a modern and engaging sports retail experience to the city”. 

Building on its other flagships on London’s Oxford Street and in Birmingham, the new Manchester store will also feature curated activation spaces and interactive experiences for consumers to explore. These include a golf-putting green, running gait analysis and Jordan basketball performance challenges.

The store also features dedicated areas for football and specialist sports, a bra studio and a newly launched running concept alongside menswear, womenswear and kidswear. 

Other new features include a dedicated area for trend-focused consumers, alongside a dedicated gaming zone featuring the retailer Game and an esports experience offering from Belong.

Frasers chief executive Michael Murray said: “Our third Sports Direct flagship marks another step towards our strategic goal to become the number one sports retailer in EMEA.  

“Each new store opening is pivotal to the next phase of growth for the group as we continue to bring the very best brands, environment, product innovations and experiences to the high street. Manchester is a significant location for the group and we’re excited to be opening our next flagship in the city.” 

Richard Collier, creative director of The One Off, the creative and design agency behind the store said: “It is really heartening to see the recovery that retail has had post-Covid. With the new Manchester store, we want to give the consumers the best of online and in-store experience and go beyond just click and collect.  

“The store is designed so customers can enjoy the social and interactive experience of visiting a store while also being able to access the benefits of online shopping like quick search and filtering through thousands of SKUs.”

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