Bethany Biron/Business Insider
- The North Face is revamping its global physical store strategy, debuting a new aesthetic starting with its store in Soho, Manhattan. The interactive store is centered on "base camps for exploration," with differentiated spaces depending on activity type and apparel needs.
- The North Face has also put a concerted effort into spotlighting its heritage and sustainability efforts, which are evident throughout the store.
- We took a tour of the new space and learned about the inspiration for the refreshed concept.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The North Face is rolling out a refreshed global retail concept, debuting its "basecamps for exploration" approach with a new 8,000-square-foot store in the heart of Manhattan’s shopping district.
On Friday, the outdoor retailer opened the doors to its new store in Soho, a sprawling, two-story location that reflects The North Face’s increased efforts around sustainability and celebrating its heritage.
Mark Parker, vice president of direct to consumer at The North Face, said the retailer was methodical in developing the new aesthetic, which integrates flourishes like chairs made out of recycled duffle bags, as well as a specially formulated scent intended to smell like a visit to Yosemite National Park.
"Instead of only providing a seamless consumer experience, which used to be the sole purpose of the store, now the purpose is to inspire and enable experiences, because that’s where we were born back in ’66," Parker said. "That’s our heritage. We were born on a mountain and adopted by the city."
The New York City location is the first in a forthcoming series of global renovations, which The North Face plans to roll out to each of its stores by 2024.
Parker took us on a tour of the store in advance of its official opening on August 9. Here’s what we saw.
The new North Face store in Soho, Manhattan, marks the debut of the brand’s new store strategy, which will be replicated across all global physical retail locations.
Bethany Biron/Business Insider
The 8,000-square-foot Soho store is located on Broadway, which is one of the busiest parts of Manhattan in terms of foot traffic. Revamped Seattle and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, stores will open in the coming weeks, followed by locations in Europe this fall.
As soon as we entered the store, our eye was drawn to a gleaming light-up display of classic North Face styles, positioned in front of the company’s tagline, "Never stop exploring."
Bethany Biron/Business Insider
The store also has a distinct, refreshing smell. Parker explained that the scent was specially developed for The North Face to evoke the "smell of Yosemite."
The first floor is home to menswear, unisex branded apparel, and backpacks. The second floor includes womenswear, footwear, and equipment.
Bethany Biron/Business Insider
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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SEE ALSO: The North Face now makes its popular ThermoBall winter jackets out of recycled materials
Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Bethany Biron)