• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, January 31, 2019

Foot Locker wants to make shopping for sneakers a uniquely Detroit experience, opening a new Power Store there that lets people personalize products in new ways.

The brand's testing of the new concept comes as retailers everywhere struggle to make walking into a brick-and-mortar store more engaging.

Foot Locker, which is already experimenting with the Power Store in other countries, says local sneaker culture offers plenty of experiential opportunities.

“With our passion at Foot Locker to inspire and empower youth culture and the sneaker community, we’re constantly looking for ways to elevate our retail experience across in-store, online and mobile app touchpoints,” says Patrick Walsh, vice president of marketing for Foot Locker North America.

He tells Marketing Daily the brand chose Detroit for its U.S. pilot because “metro Detroit has super-passionate sneakerheads but wasn’t being served as well as [it needed] to be. It’s also a vibrant marketplace for sneaker culture and our brands, so we’re looking forward to bringing the best localized expression.”

The idea is to use the physical space to foster a sense of connection, as well as tempt people with city-centric products, including Detroit-inspired footwear from Nike’s “Home & Away” Collection, New Era hats, Hershel bags, Detroit vs. Everybody, The Dirt Label and District 81 apparel. 

One offering, for example, is Adidas’ AM4DET, a shoe designed by Detroit native Kayla Donaldson, inspired by the city.

The new store also includes an activation space run by a local marketing manager set to host events that range from talent shows to panel discussions to appearances by local influencers. To make it a full-family shopping experience, there's a women's shop-in-shop and a Kids Foot Locker.

To keep fans in the loop, the brand launched a new Instagram account, @footlockerdetroit. 

The Detroit deal follows the launch of stores in Liverpool, Hong Kong and London, and Foot Locker says it is eyeing a dozen new stores this year, including Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Milan, Italy.

Foot Locker’s Power Store launch comes at a time when shoe marketers are scrambling to find new ways to connect with an audience that’s been increasingly turning thumbs down on basketball and performance shoes, and instead opting for casual kicks from brands like Skechers and Vans.