RPMI Railpen has announced the UK’s largest sports retailer, Sports Direct, luxury mecca FLANNELS, and USC have selected Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth for 50,000 sq ft of trading space due to open in spring 2020.
Split across two floors, the new stores join Cascades Shopping Centre’s existing line-up of major anchor tenants, including Primark, H&M, and TK Maxx, as the retail destination celebrates its 30th anniversary.
The new Sports Direct store will embody the retailer’s identity as ‘the home of sports’, stocking sought-after international brands such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Asics and Puma. Featuring the retailler’s new elevated store design, the site will also incorporate dedicated floorspace for USC, which will house the latest streetwear collections from labels including Converse, Champion, Levi’s, Lacoste and Calvin Klein.
Meanwhile, FLANNELS will offer customers its contemporary edit of luxury’s biggest names and emerging designers, adding to Cascades’ fashion offering.
The new stores are scheduled to open in spring, following the unveiling of a revitalisated breakthrough area on the ground floor of Cascades in November of this year. The space will form a refreshed gateway to the new retailers, and be home to year-round commercialisation initiatives.
Emily Atkinson at RPMI Railpen commented on the signing: “In its 30th year, Cascades continues to pick-up pace in terms of the breadth and diversity of its retail mix, as is reflected by Sports Direct, Flannels and USC taking such a significant store space. Our investment in the centre’s refurbishment will create an even more inviting atmosphere for consumers, providing a revitalised setting for these new retailers as well as neighbouring brands.”
A Sports Direct spokesperson added: “This is a major part of Sports Direct’s brand elevation strategy that will see a huge investment in a number of new stores, while upgrading and improving existing ones across the UK. This is the strategic vision of the business as it aims to meet the demands of an ever more sophisticated consumer who is increasingly looking for not only good value, but an enhanced shopping experience.”
Andrew Philip, Centre Manager at Cascades, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Sports Direct’s attractive portfolio into the shopping centre. They are a huge brand, and we know that our local shoppers will be pleased to see many top clothing brands, including its FLANNELS range, introduced when they open in 2020.
“There’s no doubt that this is a big addition to our sport and luxury retail offering at the shopping centre and is part of our commitment to offer not only the best, but most diverse shopping experience possible. Portsmouth is a sport-mad city and this and will complement Victory Sports perfectly moving forward.”
The announcement follows recent celebrations for Cascades’ 30th year of trading, as well a newly-launched art exhibition at the retail centre dedicated to the Portsmouth-based novel The Snow Witch.
AS Retail represented Cascades Shopping Centre in the deal, while Sports Direct was represented by CBRE.
