Nike has targeted Philadelphia as the first known U.S. market for a retail concept store dedicated to its Michael Jordan brand.
The activewear giant is eyeing 1617 Walnut St. as the site of a Jordan World of Flight, the Philadelphia Business Journal first reported. The report was backed up by city records indicating MBH Architects had applied for final permission to change signage and the facade of the building to make way for the retail venture.
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Jordan World of Flight has opened two overseas locations but none in the U.S. to date.
Checo Acquisitions, formerly known as Gideon Asset Management, purchased the nearly 7K SF building near Rittenhouse Square for $5.3M two years ago and still owns the property, according to a spokesperson and its website. A representative for Checo declined to comment on the potential tenant.
Nike's first World of Flight concept store opened in Milan in 2022 as “a destination to celebrate the legacy and future of basketball culture,” featuring the latest products and customized offerings centered around Jordan. Design features included a members-only lounge and other elements “geared toward the Jordan consumer,” as well as artwork created by local artists.
A second location opened in Tokyo in 2023. Representatives for Nike didn't respond to requests for comment.
The Philadelphia location, part of Rittenhouse Row in Center City, sits in a retail corridor that struggled for years, even prior to the pandemic, Bisnow reported in January 2020. The building had been vacant for five years prior to its purchase in 2022.
The historic 1617 Walnut St. building was last assessed at $4.6M, according to online records kept by the city of Philadelphia. The building has been an office and commercial retail space since its construction in 1921, the 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 facade while making small design updates for better functionality.
“Philadelphia’s Jordan The World of Flight will deliver a timeless, thoughtful designed store that can contribute to the neighborhood and character of the streetscape,” Kouvaris said in the letter.
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