Decathlon is to open its second store in Ireland, located at Parkway Retail Park in Limerick, on Friday, 12th May.
This follows the success of the initial Irish store adjacent to Ikea in Ballymun in Dublin in 2020.
After 18 months of sourcing, Decathlon secured a long-term partnership with Sigma Retail Partners for a 25 year lease on the store, which boasts easy access from Limerick City Centre, University of Limerick and the wider residential area.
It will see the creation of 64 new jobs in roles across store management and leaders, operations and e-commerce.
“Decathlon’s aim is to provide a complete sports experience to sports lovers,” said Emanuela Martone, Store Manager at Decathlon Limerick.
“The brand’s flagship store in Ballymun was built with this idea in mind and myself and my teammates are delighted that the Decathlon Limerick Sports Hub will follow the same concept.”
The store will offer 3,500 sqm of sales area with Decathlon’s full range of own brands for over 70 sports.
It will also provide 1,500 sqm of “sport experience zones”, which include a cycling track, football pitch, basketball court and an outdoor area for fitness – all of which can be used by Decathlon customers for free. Inside the store will feature various testing zones, including a camping showroom and a space to “try before you buy” for some products.
Decathlon Limerick will also work closely with local coaches and partners for sports events, the sports community café and logistics.
“We’re so excited to be opening our second store in Ireland,” said Elena Pecos, CEO at Decathlon Ireland.
“Sports lovers in the area will get the full experience of Decathlon, with affordable products across 70 sports. To underpin our commitment to sustainability, the Limerick store will also have 20 percent off second-life products, 365-day returns, and free booking of sports facilities.”
Second Life at Decathlon is an initiative that aims to breathe a second life into lightly used second-hand sports equipment like surfboards.
