I joined Steve Lesnard, CMO of The North Face, for a tour of the company’s new NYC flagship Wednesday. Much like the other marquee retail properties we’ve discussed in Retail Brew, it’s 8,000 sq. ft. of brand embodiment.
As part of a revamped global retail strategy, The North Face is slashing the inventory it carries in stores to use its IRL spaces for educational and community-building activities. By the end of 2024, every store will...
- Host employee-led classes on topics like tent-pitching and navigation
- Oversee speaker series led by its partner athletes
- Display archival pieces from throughout the company’s history
Why? The North Face’s raison d’etre was dreamed up on a hike, not in the boardroom. With consumers spending more on full-blown experiences like wilderness trips than one-off merch, The North Face leaders think a community presence is more valuable than a typical store.
And unlike other experiential retailers, it’s got an advantage: You don’t need a specific pair of leggings to take hot yoga, but you do need a thermal-lined sleeping bag to survive a night on El Capitan.
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