Run, don’t walk: A new retailer is coming to The Summit at Fritz Farm.
Nike, the shoe and apparel giant, is opening Nov. 17 at 4084 Finn Way, according to the company. The location will be across from the J. Alexander’s restaurant.
Although there is a Nike Factory Store in The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass in Simpsonville, there is no Nike Store in Kentucky. The one in Lexington will be the first, apparently.
According to permit applications filed with the city, the store looks like it will be a Nike Live concept.
What is a Nike Live store?
Nike Live stores are members-only boutiques with perks and experiences, according to Retail Dive, which dubbed it Store Concept of the Year in 2018, when Nike debuted the idea.
Nike did not immediately respond to requests for details; representatives of The Summit at Fritz Farm also were not immediately available.
In June 2020, Nike announced that it planned up to 200 of the smaller stores, to be built over the next few years, as part of a reinvention of its retail footprint. The stores are built around members, who provide data that the company uses to continually refocus its strategy.
In January 2021, the company opened a Nike Live in Eugene, Oregon, where the brand began, joining concepts in Los Angeles, Tokyo and New York. New assortments on merchandise drop every few weeks and the Eugene store features a selection of University of Oregon merchandise.
The store lets members redeem free products and gifts unlocked in a digital vending machine, driving NikePlus memberships and online interactions.
