Photos: Tonal; Nordstrom
Nordstrom released news earlier this week that it has struck a deal with Tonal, the smart home gym and personal trainer device and service, to open 40 of the fitness brand’s shops in 20 states across the U.S.
Nordstrom and Tonal will roll out the 50-square-foots shops this month and offer Nordstrom shoppers the opportunity to see a demonstration of the tech in-store and to engage in a workout.
Lori Marten, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for Nordstrom, said the retailer understands that “customers are looking for inspired workouts that elevate their wellness ambitions.” She expects the new Tonal shops to help fill that need.
“Our goal is to help customers discover the latest active gear for style, performance and everything in-between, and we look forward to making it easier than ever to discover everything in one place so they can look and feel their best," Ms. Marten added.
The retailer announced that fourth quarter sales in its “Active” category had grown by double digits.
Nordstrom joins many other retailers and consumer-direct brands that have looked to cash in on the at-home fitness and athleisure renaissance that coincided with pandemic lockdowns and new work-from-home routines.
Lululemon, the yoga-inspired retail chain, announced last June that it had reached an agreement to acquire Mirror, an in-home fitness startup featuring a wall-mounted device that streams live and pre-recorded classes. The deal, finalized last year, followed a $1 million investment that Lululemon had made in Mirror in 2019.
Calvin McDonald, Lululemon Athletica CEO, said on the company’s third-quarter earnings call that his company expects Mirror to generate more than $150 million in sales revenue for the full fiscal year.
He said that Lululemon had launched a dedicated Mirror tab on its website during the quarter that included a link to purchase the device. Lululemon is also now including Mirror in its email campaigns.
Lululemon also began its planned rollout of Mirror shops inside its stores at 18 locations. The goal is to test and refine the selling experience before the chain rolls out the concept to several hundred stores this year.
- Tonal Partners with Nordstrom to Expand its Retail Footprint to 40 Stores across the Continental United States – Nordstrom/Tonal
- Nordstrom (JWN) Q4 2020 Earnings Call Transcript – The Motley Fool
- Lululemon moves into in-home fitness with $500M deal for Mirror – RetailWire
- lululemon athletica inc. (LULU) CEO Calvin McDonald on Q3 2020 Results – Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha