The Vans® brand has opened its first flagship store in China. Located in Beijing's Joy City Mall, the store features an interactive media space and a mini skateboarding ramp to bring to life the brand's DNA of action sports, art, music and street culture.
The 300-square-meter store includes men's and women's footwear, apparel and accessories collections. Eight custom feature cases highlight the Vans® brand's heritage in skateboarding and surfing, along with iconic brand events and seasonal products.
With four iMac computers and 2 WiiTM consoles, the store's interactive media area enables consumers to easily access Vans® websites like Vans.com and Vansblog.com.cn, plus more than 150 brand videos and podcasts. Visitors can also quickly download three Vans® iPhone® applications - Vans Sk8 Pool Service, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and Vans Warped Tour - for the latest global news and event information. The area and the mini skate ramp aim to deliver a Southern California shop vibe, giving guests a place to hang out after school or work and connect digitally with their network of friends.
A special OTW collection feature case (left) and the store's interactive media area
"This flagship store is a milestone for Vans' development as we continue to expand our retail footprint in China and the Asia-Pacific region," said Mitchell Whitaker, Regional Director of Vans.
Vans opened its first stand-alone retail store in China in September 2008. The brand now has over 160 strategically-located shopping spaces across the country.
"We look for the best retail locations where action sports and youth culture exist," said Raymond Wu, China Country Manager for Vans. "Beijing is a hotbed for skateboarding culture and the birthplace of the Chinese punk rock scene, making it a natural fit for our first flagship store."
