Hammerson has announced today that athleisure giant Foot Locker will open a new flagship store at The Ilac, which will also be its largest in Ireland.
The new 13,000 sq ft store will occupy a prime location at the main entrance to The Ilac, facing out onto Henry Street, rejuvenating one of Dublin’s main shopping streets following the pandemic, bringing with it vibrancy and a new young audience.
It also strengthens the athleisure offering within the destination and underpins a wider strategy by co-owners Hammerson and Irish Life Investment Managers (ILIM) to reinvigorate The Ilac with household brands, new concepts and experiences which excite and engage new and loyal customers.
In parallel with the new offering at The Ilac, Foot Locker is renewing its commitment to Swords Pavilions with a relocation boasting a new modern fit out within a 4,800 sq ft unit on the bustling ground floor.
Connor Owens, Managing Director, Asset Management (Ireland & Scotland), Hammerson, said: “Athleisure continues to be a top-performing category across our portfolio, and Foot Locker is a global leader in this space. Its exclusive range of footwear, sports apparel and campaigns are hugely popular with consumers worldwide, so we know this is just the type of brand which will resonate particularly amongst our younger customers. Harnessing our placemaking and operational expertise, it will also further enhance The Ilac consumer experience and widen the range of top retail brands on offer. Foot Locker’s relocation and renewed commitment in Swords Pavilions also highlights both the growing national demand for this athleisure brand, as well as Hammerson’s unrivalled ability to connect top brands with strong consumer demand across our destinations.”
John Lowry, Director of Real Estate at Foot Locker Europe commented: “Ireland is very much a market we would like to improve our presence, subject to positioning ourselves in the right locations and at the right terms. We have spent recent years debating whether we would exit Ireland altogether given lack of store performance however after some deliberation and consolidation, we have chosen to re-invest in Ireland and support a market that we believe has much more to offer. We are delighted to support Irish jobs and the local economy in Ireland.”
ENDS