Sport Chek Launches World Class Flagship Stores in Toronto

Yorkdale and Square One locations open today bringing Sport Chek's most digitally innovative stores to GTA shoppers

TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Sport Chek (@SportChek), Canada's most inspirational sport retailer, today opened two new innovative flagship stores in Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Square One Shopping Centre. The stores bring a combined 120,000 square feet of world-class retail space to the GTA and reflect the most digitally-savvy store execution anywhere in the world.

"We're extremely excited to bring our next-generation flagship offering to sport and active lifestyle enthusiasts in the GTA," said Chad McKinnon, Chief Operating Officer, FGL Sports. "Our stadium of sport is reinventing sporting goods by providing an immersive and inspiring experience delivered by people that share your passion for sport and activity."

Sport Chek's flagship stores excite consumers with inspiring digital installations that improve the customer experience and offer passionate, knowledgeable customer service and advice. Additionally, the flagship concepts have proven to yield significant increases in customer traffic and sales. In 2014, Sport Chek launched its first two flagship stores in Western Canada. The West Edmonton Mall location and the Metrotown store in Burnaby, B.C. have demonstrated strong double-digit increases in sales since they have reopened in both locations.

DIGITAL INNOVATION TO ELEVATE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Providing access to best-in-class digital technology, the flagship stores deliver an enhanced customer experience through a network of digital signage, interactive technology and show-stopping installations. The stores create a retail space that engages, excites, inspires and informs the customer and includes next-generation features such as:

• Interactive ski, snowboard and golf video walls, providing recommended product suggestions based on the individual customer's needs and abilities
• An RFID shoe wall, allowing customers to scan shoes and pull up detailed product information
• eCommerce screens, leveraging the full functionality of SportChek.ca for an expanded product selection
• 3D holograms, showcasing the latest sport tech product and accessories
• Interactive kids' zones, with games mirroring major team sports aimed at engaging children in-store
• State of the art shop-in-shops, from top brands such as Nike, Under Armour, Adidas and The North Face, offering customers an unparalleled assortment of the latest products
• Community Hub, provides a lounge area where sports enthusiasts can have a seat and connect on community events, product advice, sports games and more
• Tech Shop, for shoppers to engage with the latest and greatest from the leading sport technology brands such as Fitbit, GoPro and Garmin

Square One specs include:

• 75,000 square feet
• 226 Samsung screens
• Event space with two curved LED walls
• 225 employees
• 46 tablets

Yorkdale specs include:

• 45,000 square feet
• 257 Samsung screens
• Digital portal entrance
• Digital art mosaic
• 200 employees
• 46 tablets

Building a presence in the GTA
Over the past two years, Sport Chek has focused on connecting with customers in the GTA through strategic partnerships, community-driven campaigns and ground-breaking brand stores. Recently, Sport Chek positioned itself in Toronto's sports mecca – Maple Leaf Square – by opening the doors to its second lab store. The store is complete with a first-of-its-kind TSN broadcast studio and digital features that perfectly merge the future of e-commerce with the in-store experience.

The Yorkdale and Square One locations officially open to the public today with exclusive grand opening sales and offers.

About FGL Sports
FGL Sports Ltd. is Canada's largest national retailer of sporting goods, offering a comprehensive assortment of brand-name and private-brand products and operating more than 400 stores from coast to coast, under the following corporate and franchise banners: Sport Chek, Sports Experts, Atmosphere, National Sports, Intersport, Nevada Bob's Golf, Hockey Experts, Pro-Hockey Life, Sports Rousseau and L'entrepôt du Hockey. FGL Sports also has websites for several of its corporate and franchise banners which can be accessed through its main website at www.FGLSports.com.

SOURCE FGL Sports Ltd.

Maria de Romana, [email protected], 403 689-7201; Jacqueline Meyler, North Strategic (for FGL Sports), [email protected], 587-577-1285