JD Sports‘ North American strategy is growing by leaps and bounds.
On the heels of its latest store on the Las Vegas strip — the U.K.-based athletic retailer earlier this month opened its third U.S. flagship store in the new BLVD retail development on Las Vegas Blvd — JD on Saturday opened its first Canadian flagship on Vancouver’s iconic Robson Street.
JD already operates 33 doors in Canada, and plans to add an additional 17 locations by the end of 2026.
The company said that Robson Street, known as Vancouver’s premier shopping and cultural hub, is the perfect setting for the company’s flagship in Canada. The new site joins JD’s other iconic global flagships, which includes Oxford Street in London, Champs-Élysées in Paris, and Times Square in New York.
“This launch of this landmark store signals the next phase of our expansion with 17 additional openings planned across Canada in the next 18 months, as we double down on our ambition to be the go-to destination for sports fashion in North America,” said Gary Ochi, CEO for JD Canada. “Vancouver’s vibrant culture and Robson Street’s reputation as a premier shopping destination make it the perfect home for our first Canadian flagship. We have designed this space to inspire our customers, offering them access to exclusive products, cutting-edge store design, and the best in sports fashion.”
“The high-visibility and high-footfall position reflects JD’s dedication to accessibility in major urban centers and its confidence in the vibrancy of Vancouver’s retail scene,” JD said, adding that the store will also feature exclusive brand partnerships and exclusive products and limited-edition releases not available anywhere else in Canada.
The Vancouver store on Robson Street is the company’s first exterior street-front location in Canada. The façade features a double-height shopfront and the largest LED display in JD’s Canadian footprint.
A dumbwaiter system provides for efficient stock delivery, while an upgraded Stingray sound system that’s also used by Nike, provides for an immersive in-store experience. The store also includes shop-in-shops for leading brands that include Nike, New Balance and Adidas, as well as digital lightboxes that showcase JD’s hottest drops and premium offerings.
North America has long been a key component of JD’s global ambitions. Last year, North America became the largest market for the retailer, generating 35 percent of its total revenues. The latest update including fiscal 2025 earnings shows that North America now generates 37 percent of the company’s total revenue base.
In addition to the retailer’s JD banner, it also counts under its umbrella of brands in North American Finish Line, Shoe Palace Corp., DTLR and Hibbett Inc., formerly Hibbett Sports.
