Macy’s, Inc. and LIDS Sports Group, a subsidiary of Genesco Inc., announced that they have signed an agreement to open licensed team merchandise departments in Macy’s stores nationwide and online under the name of Locker Room by Lids.
Plans call for Locker Room by Lids departments to be piloted in approximately 25 Macy’s stores and on macys.com in fall 2013, and an additional 175 in-store departments rolling out in spring 2014 as part of the initial phase. The departments, located in markets covering major professional sports teams and colleges, will be operated by LIDS Sports Group under a license agreement with Macy’s.
Each department will contain licensed products associated with professional and collegiate teams, including those in NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA. The assortment will encompass apparel and headwear for men, women and children, as well as home and novelty products such as glassware, throws and gnomes. Custom embroidery is also expected to be available in selected locations.
The size of the in-store licensed departments will vary by Macy’s store, with an average of 500 to 1,000 square feet per location. The goal is also to incorporate an interactive kiosk through which customers can place online orders that can be shipped directly to their home or another designated address – thus serving customers who are fans of teams in other parts of the country.
LIDS Sports Group, a leading seller of licensed team products, will be the exclusive operator of Macy’s in-store team sportswear. Macy’s will be the exclusive U.S. department store with Locker Room by Lids locations.
“Our customers are passionate fans of their sports teams, whether they be local or elsewhere in the country. Through our partnership with LIDS, Macy’s will be able to offer a focused assortment of team-related merchandise that is tailored to the fans who shop in each Macy’s store.
"This is a natural and powerful expression of our My Macy’s approach to serving local customers. Moreover, with Macy’s rapidly emerging omnichannel capability, we can efficiently sell and fulfill orders for customers who may be fans of teams anywhere in America, or who are buying gifts for friends and family who live elsewhere,” said Jeff Gennette, Macy’s chief merchandising officer.
“With Locker Room by Lids in hundreds of Macy’s stores, we also are strengthening Macy’s status as a destination for activewear. These new teamwear departments will complement our established assortments in active apparel and accessories, as well as athletic footwear now being supplied to Macy’s customers in partnership with Finish Line.”
“As we continue to grow our Locker Room by Lids locations across North America, the opportunity to partner with Macy’s allows us to immediately capture underserved markets in virtually every major sports city in the U.S.” said Ken Kocher, President of LIDS Sports Group. “Combining our expertise in sports licensed merchandising with Macy’s retail dominance gives us the ability to serve a much larger cross section of sports fans both in-store and online.”
