Foot Locker unveils new retail concept as part of Lace Up Plan

Foot Locker is taking a big step forward on the “Lace Up” growth plan it introduced last year, with a new retail concept it’s debuting today.

“It’s the most thorough, comprehensive store redesign we’ve ever done,” Foot Locker EVP and chief commercial officer Frank Bracken told Retail Brew; it improves the customer experience, layout, and storytelling opportunities for brands. The first location of the new concept was introduced today at the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, New Jersey, and the company’s 34th Street flagship in New York City will get a refresh soon. Foot Locker also plans to debut new stores this year in Paris ahead of the Olympics, as well as in Melbourne, Australia, and in its first-ever location in India, outside Delhi.

Bracken said the retailer began working on a brief for the concept last year using feedback from consumers and brand partners, and zeroing in on the “Heart of Sneakers” brand platform it rolled out in November.

The new look begins with the storefronts, which have digital screens in the windows and a “Drop Zone” in the first 500 square feet of the store highlighting trends and new products. It also features a communal try-on space, Bracken said, which brings “the spirit of sneaker culture in the community to life.” Women’s products are merchandised on the left, next to kids’ products, where he said women often cross-shop, and men’s are on the right. A new Sneaker Hub offers a “buy online and pick up in store” experience (Bracken noted that more than 90% of Foot Locker consumers begin their shopping journey online).

• Store employees, known as Stripers, can use handheld devices to allow customers to order out-of-stock products for store pickup or home delivery, and their uniforms have a new look, Bracken said.

The company has also been refreshing its larger store footprint, and plans to update two-thirds of its stores by the end of 2025. They’ll be “closely related and highly synchronized” with the new retail concepts, he said.

The retailer unveiled its Lace Up Plan in March 2023. The multi-pillar plan includes a goal to “power up the portfolio” and create a “globally scalable omnichannel experience,” according to a press release. Bracken said the company also plans to debut an updated version of its rewards program, FLX, with new cash rewards and other benefits, as well as a new mobile app. Foot Locker is also adjusting its retail footprint by closing underperforming stores, primarily in malls.