Swanky hotel + gym + Lululemon... (with a hint of WeWork). Execs at Lululemon said "yes" to any ideas that could be thrown into its new 25K-square-foot store in Chicago's Lincoln Park. Opening day was yesterday (we were curious). The 1st floor's your standard retail merch (from her stretchy pants to his joggers). But on the 2nd floor, things get transcendental:
- Work your body: There's a studio for yoga and another for HIITs (high intensity interval training). Plus, Equinox-quality locker rooms to un-sweat yourself.
- Work your soul: A 3rd studio (surprise) for meditation.
- Work your mind: Workspace to flip open your laptop when the post-workout endorphins kick in.
- Fuel yourself: Then there's the clean-eating menu at the new chef-designed, influencer-consulted restaurant, called "Fuel".
Faux-industrial, succulent-infused, minimalist decor... But Lulu means business. There are 50 classes per week at $25 each. They're designed to generate sales — You can try on clothes through an entire yoga flow class, then not buy them. And it's planning to expand: by 2023, Lulu wants 10% of its locations to be this new breed of everything store.
Offer something Amazon can't... That's been the strategy of retail companies thriving despite the retail-pocalypse around them. These physical dream-stores whipped up at Lulu's v2.0 spot are packed with an experience online shopping can't replicate.