VF Corporation owned Vans recently refurbished their London Oxford Street store which now includes a skate park for the Vans skate team & local skate schools.
There was a time when local governments would fund community sports stuff. You’ll probably remember when Nike stepped in to support the local football cages in London a few years back when the local councils decided they could no longer afford them. VF Corporation owned Vans have gone with a similar kind of vibe for the refurbishment of their Oxford Street store, instead of football it’s skateboarding. Thanks to a major retail overhaul of their central London store, which originally opened back in 2019, the store now boasts a complete skate park which will be opened in the evenings for skate sessions, skate demos and a place for the Vans skate team to practice their 360 flips & pop shuvits.
Bringing a sense of London’s local skateboarding community direct the store is not only clever marketing, but will also provide a space for skaters to get together in its refurbished retail space. With Vans apparel & trainers clad walls with the iconic waffle pattern found on the sole of a pair of Vans running throughout the store, the concept is combining commerce with community. As brands look to push the boundaries of the whole “retail experience” this isn’t the first time a skatepark has featured in a store, Supreme’s store in Brooklyn also featured an integrated skate ramp. As shopping becomes even more “online” an experience of skating in an actual store certainly isn’t something a digital user could ever experience.
The Vans Oxford Street store & skate park is located at 214 Oxford St, London W1D 1LA. Also don’t forget to subscribe to Sneaker Jobs & follow @sneaker_jobs to keep up to date with all the latest industry news.
