Nike has made Philadelphia the first known U.S. market for its Michael Jordan Brand retail concept store.
The sportswear giant is planning to make 1617 Walnut Street the home of Air Jordan 1, the Philadelphia Business Journal first reported. The report, backed by city records, indicates MBH Architects has applied for final permits to change signage and the building’s exterior to make way for retail businesses.
The shoe wall at Jordan World of Flight in Milan covers several generations of Air Jordan styles.
Flying World Jordan has opened two locations overseas, but none in the United States so far.
Checo Acquisitions, formerly Gideon Asset Management, bought the nearly 7,000-square-foot building near Rittenhouse Square two years ago for $5.3 million and still owns it, according to a spokesman and its website. real estate. Representatives for Checo declined to comment on potential tenants.
Nike’s first World of Flight concept store opens in Milan in 2022 as a “destination celebrating basketball’s heritage and future,” offering the latest Jordan-centric products and customizations. Design features include a members-only lounge and other elements “focused on Jordanian consumers,” as well as artwork created by local artists.
A second store will open in Tokyo in 2023. Representatives for Nike did not respond to requests for comment.
The Philadelphia store is part of downtown’s Rittenhouse Street and sits in a retail corridor that has been struggling for years, even before the pandemic. Bisnow Reported in January 2020. The building had been vacant for five years before being purchased in 2022.
The historic 1617 Walnut St. building was last assessed at $4.6 million, according to online records kept by the city of Philadelphia. The building has been office and commercial retail space since it was built in 1921, documents show.
In a Jan. 30 letter to the Philadelphia Historical Commission, MBH’s Michael Kouvaris outlined the design concept for the new store, vowing to maintain the original character of its exterior while making minor design updates for better functionality.
“Jordan The World of Flight in Philadelphia will create a timeless, thoughtfully designed store that contributes to the community and streetscape character,” Kouvaris said in the letter.