UNDER ARMOUR DEBUTING NEW FLAGSHIP STORE AT THE PRU.
Under Armour debuts its first Boston specialty store at Prudential Center in Boston’s Back Bay today after last night’s athlete-studded opening party with brand ambassadors including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, and professional golfer Jordan Spieth.
The 19,000-square-foot, two-level store is the Baltimore performance clothing, footwear and equipment company’s largest flagship “Brand House” opening of the year.
“It‘s an amazing opportunity for us to enter the Boston market with a brick-and-mortar location,” said Susie McCabe, senior vice president of global retail. “We have great visibility from a brand perspective on Boylston Street.” The store fronts Boylston Street with six large windows encasing UA’s logo and five 13-by-7foot digital LED screens.
The Hub location carries men’s, women’s and youth clothing, footwear and accessories in categories including training, basketball, golf, the outdoors and running. UA expects net revenue of about $4.925 billion this year, a 24 percent jump from 2015. While clothing represents the largest portion of its business, it sees footwear as its biggest growth opportunity.
The Boston store also has the new men’s and women’s Under Armour Sportswear lines unveiled at New York Fashion Week.
“This is the first full shopin-shop expression of the brand,” said Ben Pruess, UA’s president of sport fashion.
Local touches abound in the store, and Brady and Bundchen figure prominently. Brady signed a multiyear partnership with UA in 2010. “He’s been an amazing asset for us,” McCabe said. “He’s transforming how athletes work. From a draw perspective, he’s incredibly well-known throughout the globe.”
A “199” wall mural of ceramic casts of footballs celebrates the Patriots’ 199th selection of Brady in the 2000 NFL draft. A football, gloves and cleats used by Brady are encased in glass against a towering photo of him. “Kids, specifically, want to see some of the authentic gear that our athletes are wearing,” McCabe said.