John Lewis Goes Big on Fitness to Take On Sports Direct
The famous UK department store is spending millions to build new sports and wellness departments across the country.
John Lewis, one of the UK's best-known department stores, has announced a major plan to grow its sports and fitness sections. The company is spending millions of pounds to redesign its sports departments in several stores across the country. The goal is to become the top place in the UK for fitness shoppers, beating out rivals like Sports Direct.
The new departments will bring together sportswear, shoes, wearable technology, recovery tools, and fitness equipment all in one place. Each department will be up to about 5,000 square feet — roughly the size of five basketball courts. John Lewis says no other UK retailer currently offers all of these things under one roof, which makes this plan stand out.
The first redesigned department has already opened at the John Lewis store on Oxford Street in London. New departments will also be built in stores in Liverpool and Cheadle. A brand-new fitness section will open in the Glasgow store as well.
Shoppers will find big sports brands like Nike, Brooks, and Patagonia in the new departments. Alongside clothing and shoes, there will be wearable technology from brands like Garmin and Whoop, and home fitness gear from Peloton and NordicTrack. Recovery products from Therabody will also be on sale for people who want help with muscle soreness after exercise.
One of the cool features of the new departments is a free gait analysis service. This uses technology to study the way a person walks or runs, and then helps them pick the right pair of shoes. Shoppers can also use other tools powered by artificial intelligence to find products that match their fitness goals.
Peter Ruis, the managing director of John Lewis, explained why the store is making this big change. He said that customers today do not just shop for sports items — instead, they shop around a specific goal, like training for a marathon or simply trying to live a healthier life. He wants John Lewis to be the one-stop shop that supports customers at every step of their fitness journey.
This fitness investment is part of a much larger plan. John Lewis is putting £800 million into all 36 of its UK stores to improve the shopping experience. The fitness departments are seen as an important early step in that wider effort to bring more customers back to its high street shops.
Customers increasingly shop around a goal rather than a traditional retail category.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. Which John Lewis store was the first to get the new redesigned fitness department?
2. How much money is John Lewis investing across all 36 of its UK stores?
3. What is gait analysis used for in the new John Lewis departments?