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NBA flagship store to open this summer in Paris
The NBA is setting up shop in Paris, in partnership with sport licensing specialist Fanatics. A vast store on three levels dedicated to the US professional basketball league will open in summer in the city’s Latin quarter. The store will be located at 20 boulevard Saint-Michel, at premises formerly occupied by bookseller Boulinier, and will be operated by US retail distribution specialist Lids. It will be the third NBA store to open in Europe, after those in London and Milan.
The store extends over more than 300 square metres and will commercialise the range of products endorsed by the NBA and its 30 franchises, from team jerseys to sportswear, accessories like hats and beanies, and various collectibles. It will feature brands like Nike, Mitchell & Ness, Era and Wilson, and will also offer a customisation service.
“Paris lies at the intersection of fashion and basketball culture and has a unique tradition for the game, as well as some of the most passionate NBA fans in Europe,” said Steve Griffiths, head of NBA partnerships for Europe and the Middle East. “With Fanatics and Lids, we can’t wait to welcome French fans, especially at such an exciting interactive venue where they will be able to celebrate their passion for the NBA in style,” he added. The store is located close to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, an area that is very popular with tourists, and is looking to appeal to an international clientèle too.
The NBA’s arrival in Paris is a major addition to the growing number of basketball-themed stores in the city. In addition to specialist sportswear store Shinzo in rue Etienne Marcel, the first French store by Italian basketball specialist Airness will open this month at the recently renovated La Poste du Louvre complex. In September 2021, French retailer Basket4Ballers had opened in rue de Rivoli.
Other NBA-branded stores are set to open elsewhere in the world in the course of this year, though the NBA did not specify where. The US league currently operates 400 stores worldwide.
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