I went to Nike's 6-floor innovation store in New York City, and it gives clues about the future of the sportswear giant

"I visited the crown jewel of Nike's retail empire and saw why the sportswear giant is modeling the rest of its stores after the location. At 68,000 square feet, the New York City House of Innovation is hard to miss. It's a six-story flagship retail concept store, which opened in 2018. As the name suggests, it's where Nike shows off its most advanced products and offers immersive experiences to consumers."

"Nike CEO Elliott Hill has repeatedly shouted out the store during his first year in the role as an example of how the company is reformatting its retail locations, focusing on sports rather than gender. "It's an immersive sport experience, and the refresh has already led to double-digit revenue increases," Hill told investors in September. Despite the positive signs from the flagship, revenue from Nike-owned retail stores declined 1% year-over-year in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, and was flat the previous year."

"You can't miss it from the street. With six floors and a big swoosh, Nike's House of Innovation stands out on the New York City streets. Tourists gathered outside the entrance, snapping photos in front of the store, when I visited on a Thursday afternoon. I, of course, joined them in getting pictures of the massive building. I immediately entered a world of sports. The immersive experience started immediately. I was transported to a red-and-black-themed atmosphere that was all about performance rather than street style."

The New York City House of Innovation is a 68,000-square-foot, six-story flagship that showcases Nike's most advanced products and immersive sport-focused experiences. The store emphasizes performance over street style and reorients retail by focusing on sport rather than gender. Nike CEO Elliott Hill credited the concept with driving double-digit revenue increases. Despite flagship gains, Nike-owned retail revenue declined 1% year-over-year in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 and was flat the prior year. The Midtown location attracts tourists and large crowds, features a red-and-black performance atmosphere, and includes partnerships such as the NikeSkims collaboration with Skims.

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