First Look: On opens new Portland location; plans for future expansion
Swiss athletic brand On is set to open a store just a mile from its American headquarters.
Opening on Feb. 24, the 3,400-sq.-ft. store will feature the brand's latest footwear, apparel and accessories curated in head-to-toe collections for run, trail and more.
The centerpiece of the space is the "magic wall" – a signature aspect of On’s stores around the world. The structure features hidden drawers with a full size-run of On’s latest footwear, eliminating the time shoppers typically spend waiting to receive sizes and allowing for more valuable interaction between employees and customers.
Founded in 2010, On is still in the early stages of geographic expansion, but it sees opportunities to build its footprint considerably and has plans to add 15 to 20 new stores in 2024, in locations that include Austin, Tex., Chicago and Berlin, with the vast majority in China. In 2023, the company opened new stores in cities including Williamsburg, N.Y., Miami, London and Paris.
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Photos courtesy of On. -
Photos courtesy of On. -
Photos courtesy of On. -
Photos courtesy of On. -
Photos courtesy of On.
On Portland is the brand’s first location to introduce its new modular design system, making it possible to quickly reconfigure the store layout to meet evolving shopper needs. The store also boasts several interactive installations including one that highlights On’s CloudTec technology, showing in real time how the cushioning adapts to unique foot movements by compressing horizontally and vertically.
The new outpost will replace On’s original Portland location, which opened in 2016, and give community members a larger, more premium environment to explore the brand’s latest products.
“We have deep roots in this city and are committed to investing in this community,” said Britt Olsen, GM of the Americas and head of global commercial strategy. “We came to Portland in 2013 with just three team members and today, we have more than 260 employees across nearly every function. Portland not only offers an incredible art and food culture, but its accessibility to the outdoors – for all forms of movement – is unbeatable. We’re thrilled to finally have a store in this city that reflects the dedicated community we’ve built here for the last 11 years.”
On has 32 stores around the world, including 22 in China.