FN rounds up all the store openings, closings and redesigns happening this month, from throughout the footwear industry. Send your retail news to [email protected].

June 28, 2022: Skechers has opened its biggest East Coast retail destination in New Jersey this week. The nearly 22,000 square foot superstore at The Mills at Jersey Gardens, located in Elizabeth, N.J., showcases the brand’s full range of styles for men, women and children. According to a statement by Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, the new store is significantly larger than its previous 2,900 square foot shop at the same mall, and is located on the second floor of the Simon Property Group-owned building. The new store features dedicated performance and work shop-in-shop areas, a 4,000 square foot dedicated apparel shop, as well as a large offering of its casual and athletic footwear styles.

June 27, 2022: Wilson Sporting Goods Co. has opened its third retail store in New York and fourth location in the U.S. The two-story retail space is located in The Shops at Columbus Circle and will stock equipment for a range of sports, including basketball, football, baseball and tennis. It also will feature the brand’s athletic-inspired apparel collection, Wilson Sportswear, for men and women. And along with its stores in New York and Chicago, Wilson will open pop-ups in key locations throughout the summer, including its annual pop-up shop at the US Open.

June 27, 2022: Footwear brand Floafers has debuted its first concept shop in Bell Works in Holmdel, N.J. The 900-square-foot space shares an address with Floafers’ new corporate headquarters, which opened in 2021. The store, which was designed by Floafers in partnership with Wisconsin-based design firm 5 Axis Innovations, will double as a lab and retail experience, according to CEO Larry Paparo. “We will be able to learn first-hand what products and what new styles they would like to see from the brand,” he said. Floafers’ full collection of casual EVA shoes will be available at the store, including its new Crayola Silly Scents kids’ line, which was introduced this spring.

June 24, 2022: Next month, Ross Dress for Less will open a new Cincinnati store in Colerain Township. The door, which will span 22,500 square feet at the corner of Colerain Avenue and Springdale Road, is slated to open on July 16. Ross stated it will operate 16 stores in Ohio with this new Cincinnati store.

June 23, 2022: Valentino has opened an exclusive pop-up at Neiman Marcus’ Dallas NorthPark location to highlight the brand’s new Escape 2022 collection. The attention-grabbing exhibition space and window displays are transformed with the collection’s heritage print covering the walls and sisal flooring. There is a 360-degree selfie room featuring LED light frames and a graphic print background with the VLogo that enables customers to take photos inside the space. Valentino’s Escape 2022 showcases a colorful, buy-now-wear-now collection featuring men’s and women’s styles, Valentino Garavani handbags, women’s Valentino Garavani shoes and Valentino Garavani accessories. The prints — Round Rain, Giraffa re-edition, and Valentino Waves multicolor– are archival motifs from the ‘60s and ‘70s, reimagined on relaxed silhouettes, including kaftans, swimwear, flowy dresses, and kimonos. Men’s looks include Bermuda shorts, shirts, and t-shirts in light fabrics. The Valentino Escape 2022 exhibition space and collection is available at Neiman Marcus NorthPark from now through July 4.

June 22, 2022: Two days after announcing it will open a new store in Amarillo, Texas, Ross Dress for Less revealed it will debut another store next month in the state. The retailer will open a new store in Stephenville on July 16, a location that consumes 18,000 square feet of real estate in the Washington Commons Shopping Center at the corner of West Washington Street and North Reta Avenue. This new store will bring the Ross footprint in the state to 217 stores.

June 21, 2022: Palm Angels has opened its first “home” in Milan. Located at ia Verri 4, in the heart of the city’s “Quadrilatero della moda” (fashion square), is the site of the new flagship store for the brand founded by Francesco Ragazzi. The 150 square meter (approximately 1,600 square foot) store is the brand’s first European store – its third worldwide, after Miami and Las Vegas. This location presents a new creative concept conceived by Ragazzi and the Parisian architecture firm Gilles & Boissier. The two-level flagship plays on the harmony of contrasts like walnut wainscoting and rough concrete walls, and oak ceiling beams and granite floor tiles. In addition to the men’s, women’s and children’s lines, the flagship store is hosting the first drop from the home collection designed by Ragazzi – cushions, bedspreads, notebooks, candles and other objects that lend a touch of Palm’s “art de vivre” to the home. “This space aims to tell the whole Palm Angels story – the emotions, talents, inspirations and travels that have led us here,” Ragazzi said.

June 21, 2022: Athleta has opened a new store in the Mapleview Centre in Burlington, Ontario, which is part of the performance lifestyle brand’s plan to open five in Canada before year’s end. The company’s latest door — its third in Canada — spans 4,260 square feet. Athleta confirmed the remaining four Canada stores will arrive this fall, which includes one in the Chinook Centre in Calgary, the Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke, the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton and one at 1035 Robson Street in Vancouver.

June 21, 2022: Ross Dress for Less will soon open a new store in Pico Rivera, Calif. The door, which will consume 25,500 square feet of real estate, will debut on July 16. It will be located in the Crossroads Plaza shopping center at the corner of Whittier Boulevard and Rosemead Boulevard. Ross said it will operate 331 stores in California with the opening of this store.

June 20, 2022: Ross Dress for Less is set to open a new store in Amarillo, Texas. The new door, which is scheduled to open on July 16, spans 26,000 square feet in the Grand Plaza shopping center. The new store will bring the retailer’s total to 216 in Texas, and 1,652 locations overall.

June 20, 2022: eBay Inc. revealed it is in the process of closing GittiGidiyor, its marketplace business in Turkey. According to eBay, it has operated GittiGidiyor as an independent platform since acquiring a majority stake in 2011. eBay said via statement that it will work with GittiGidiyor buyers and sellers to assist in the migration off of the platform. Also, sellers will no longer be able to list new items, and as of July 18, buyers will no longer be able to make new purchases. Buyers and sellers, according to eBay, will be able to access their My Account page until Sept. 5. eBay also said the closure of the GittiGidiyor business is not anticipated to have a material impact on its Q2 or full-year results.

June 15, 2022: Forever 21 is opening a new store in China later this month, marking the retailer’s third attempt to break into the market there. According to Reuters, the fast-fashion retailer plans to open a new store at the Jingjiang Impression City shopping centre in Taizhou, a city that neighbors Shanghai. Forever 21 currently sells online in China.

June 10, 2022: Marni has opened the doors to its new flagship store in Milan. Located at via Montenapoleone 26, the new store was developed by creative director Francesco Risso together with the in-house architecture team at Marni. Marking the introduction of the brand’s new approach to store design, the boutique features all-over carpeted floors juxtaposed with reflective walls clad in beveled silver mirror ceramic tiles. In a departure from past projects, an emblematic shade of ultra-marine blue is introduced as the only chromatic accent. The brand has also installed a “vessel for creativity” in the store. Designed by The Wilson Brothers and Brinkworth in close dialogue with Risso, the vessel looks like a mobile home from the outside. It will periodically host different talents and will serve as a creative studio.