Sports Direct opens on Church Street in Liverpool later this month
Sports Direct on Church Street in Liverpool(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Sports Direct is in the final stage of preparations to open its new city centre store on Church Street. The company’s logo has been placed on the historic Grade II building’s pediment, while red and blue lights can be seen through the windows as renovation work continues to progress inside.
Sports Direct is set to bid farewell to its longstanding home in the city centre in Liverpool ONE’s Lower South John Street However, it is not all bad news as the sports equipment and clothing retailer is only moving a five-minute walk from where it is today.
The Liverpool ONE shop was one of the first companies to open inside the complex, when it started welcoming customers through its doors back in 2008. It is currently having a closing sale, with discounts off most items and popular brands including Nike, Adidas, PUMA and New Balance.
Yellow signs in the windows of the North John Street venue previously confirmed the store’s closure. The brand will then move to its new home on Church Street, where it will be found alongside a host of other brands owned by parent company Frasers Group.
The new shop, found in the former M&S site, will open on Friday, October 17. The Sports Direct logo crowns the historic Church Street building as the store moves closer to its grand opening.
The new Sports Direct logo on Church Street(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The last few weeks has seen Everlast members standing outside the store promoting the new onsite gym. The team has been asking the public to join in on challenges to win discounted memberships.
Last year Frasers Group, which owns House of Fraser, Jack Wills and many other retail brands, purchased Compton House on Church Street, where it plans to relocate the Sports Direct store.
M&S left Compton House in August 2023 after 95 years in the Grade-II listed building for a new home in the former Debenhams store in Liverpool ONE.
At the time, James France, Frasers Group’s head of acquisitions, said: “We are pleased to confirm that we have acquired Compton House located on Liverpool’s renowned Church Street.
The new Sports Direct on Church Street(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
“We are big believers in physical retail and this acquisition marks an exciting time for the group as we continue to expand our store portfolio across the UK and Europe.
“As the UK’s leading destination for sportswear, we are looking forward to bringing Liverpool customers a next-generation sports retail experience with the opening of a 70,000 sq ft Sports Direct flagship store featuring the world’s biggest sports brands. Subject to approval, Everlast Gyms will also open a 23,000 sq ft hybrid gym in the space.”
Video game retailer GAME, which is also owned by Frasers Group, closed the Lord Street site in June. Since 2019, the brand has downsized to smaller units located inside Sports Direct stores.
Signs teasing the new Sports Direct launch have been updated with GAME’s branding, suggesting the retailer will relocate from Lord Street to a smaller concession within Compton House.