Foot Locker Europe has announced the opening of its new store in Plaza Catalunya, Barcelona. The new 550 square metre space offers an elevated retail experience, including technology-driven experiences for its customers, a focus on sustainability, with recycled materials such as mannequins created from reused sneakers, and original store artwork created by local artists, inspired in the city itself.
Foot Locker has partnered with two artists from Barcelona, creating murals in-store and a series of coins, that customers will be able to collect during their visit to the Kid’s area.
Foot Locker partnered with street artist and designer ‘Dirty’ who is from Barcelona to create a unique atmosphere inspired by life in the city. His style brings colourful graphics and illustrations which are rooted in urban culture of the different neighbourhoods in Barcelona. ‘Dirty’ has created a mural reflecting symbolic elements such as the Tibidabo, ‘Dirty’, commented: “Being able to inspire the local youth through art in a difficult time like this, is extremely positive and I am proud to have joined Foot Locker to play a part in this experience”.
Barcelona-based urban artist Nuria ‘Yubia’ created the design of the kid’s area, Nuria takes references from the graffiti world with bright colours and clean shapes, but for this some of the most iconic locations and features of Barcelona was the inspiration, such as La Sagrada Familia, ‘El gato de botero’ among Las Ramblas palm trees and the flower of Barcelona. Nuria commented: “For me, the sneaker and streetwear culture are intrinsically linked to my memories of youth in Barcelona and are essential elements of my artwork and the characters I draw. I am thrilled with the opportunity of partnering with Foot Locker to bring my vision to live in a store that is going to serve as an encounter space for collaboration and creation.”
The new Foot Locker store also includes a brand new and improved ‘House of Hoops’. The boutique area created in partnership with Nike is dedicated to fans of the game, with exclusive NBA licensed items inspired and co-designed with game legends. This announcement comes alongside the recently refurbished basketball court in the Poblenou neighbourhood which is part of the Foot Locker ‘Raise the Game’ initiative; a key element of Foot Locker’s mission to celebrate and support local basketball networks, that are investing in driving positive change in their communities through basketball and its culture through Europe. As a further step in their commitment to deeply understand and connect with the local basketball in Barcelona, Foot Locker has directly hired members of the local basketball community to bring their experience to the store team.
Susie Kuhn, SVP and General Manager at Foot Locker in Europe commented: “This new store in Barcelona sets a precedent for us in Europe with its innovative technology for an improved customer experience, and design elements from local artists that showcases the diversity of the city and its vibrant youth culture. It also builds a deeper connection with our local community, providing them with a space that goes beyond the traditional retail space and makes visitors, locals and basketball fans active participants. All of this reinforces our values of inclusivity, empowerment and sustainability, to keep building a more progressive future together with youth”.
And Kuhn continues: “We are living a historic moment in which youth have suffered from the pandemic, and as a brand we are thrilled to keep bringing inspiration and support to the local communities with the announcement of new retail spaces, but also programmes such ‘Raise the Game’ and the recently renovated court in Pobleneu. This, among other initiatives, will take place in the city across 2021 as part of its commitment as a brand with the local youth”.
