Skechers Makes a Move Into Athletic Market With Flashy New Flagship Store in Canada

Skechers has made a name for itself in the footwear space, having been known since its inception in 1992 for its comfortable and stylish kicks. Now, the company is opening its very first performance flagship store — and its location might be somewhat surprising.

Skechers Opens Flagship Performance Store in Edmonton, Alberta

Only recently opened in the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, the Skechers performance flagship location represents an impressive statement in the retail business.

The store features a half-court basketball setup, as well as a downsized pickleball court. Neither fixture is a typical staple in traditional Skechers stores, but given the recent expansion of the brand into athletic footwear — and enrollment of several high-profile athletes into its brand roster — this may not be altogether unexpected.

Skechers has developed relationships with brand ambassadors including NBA players Julius Randle and Joel Embiid as well as golfers Matt Fitzpatrick and Brooke Henderson. Pickleball pros Tyson McGuffin and Catherine Parenteau are also attached to the Skechers label.

“With the world’s elite pros wearing our shoes from the court to the pitch, mound and green, our retail stores’ innovative performance products have become a magnet for athletes who want game-changing product with essential comfort—and the time has come to launch a new play,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, in a press release.

“Our new performance store offers competitors at every level the complete experience: from our largest-ever offering of performance footwear, apparel and accessories, to Skechers specialists and educators for our diverse sport technologies, and courts where consumers can discover how our product performs without ever leaving the store,” Greenberg added.

Skechers opens ‘performance store’ at West Edmonton Mall https://t.co/6G5kPev8nW

— CTV Edmonton (@ctvedmonton) January 17, 2025

The opening of this 7,500-square-foot high-concept location, one which incorporates digital screens and at least some nods to what industry experts often refer to as “experiential retail,” comes on the heels of sales success for Skechers. According to Retail Dive, the company recently reported an uptick in Q3 sales of 16% to $2.35 billion — and full-year results are projected to come in at between $8.93 billion and $8.98 billion.

The West Edmonton Mall itself is the second-largest mall in North America, trailing only the Mall of America located in Bloomington, Minnesota. It’s also home to the world’s largest parking lot (boasting over 20,000 parking spaces) as well as the world’s largest indoor lake, in addition to a variety of other attractions and amenities.