First Look: Fast-growing DTC sneaker brand Kizik opens first store — here’s where

A digitally native, “hands-free” sneaker brand has made its brick-and-mortar debut — with more to come.

Kizik has opened its first-ever store, at Fashion Place Mall in Murray, Utah, which is close to Salt Lake City and the company’s headquarters in Lindon, Utah. The 1,293-sq.ft. shop is the first of many, according to the company. It follows Kizik’s expansion into select Nordstrom stores, which represents a new chapter of growth for the brand, which has traditionally been direct-to-consumer.

The new store features Kizik’s full portfolio of men's, women's, and kids' shoes, which are designed for those who hate tying their shoelaces or those who simply can't.  Additional merchandise includes Kizik-branded shirts and shoe care kits, and no-slip socks.

Kizik’s collection of hands-free footwear leverages more than 170 pending and granted patents developed by parent company HandsFree Labs, enabling consumers to easily step in and out of their shoes — with no hands and no hassle, the company said. (The heel compresses as the foot slides in and, once the foot is secure, snaps back into the upright position.)

"This is a pivotal moment for Kizik,” said Kizik CEO Monte Deere. “To be opening our flagship store right down the street from where it all began is humbling and signals a new chapter for the company. We've seen incredible consumer reception through our e-commerce platform and are excited to provide a point of entry for new adopters of the brand to touch and try on Kizik footwear in a brick-and-mortar setting for the first time."

With an environment designed by MG2/The Lionesque Group, the store has a playful look (“Look Ma, No Hands” reads one sign) and an upbeat feel. 

The all-glass frontage — uninterrupted by framing — offers a full view of the interior’s floor-to-ceiling digital screen, providing passers-by a look at Kizik's signature “step-in” moments.

"Kizik's persona can be found throughout the space," says Melissa Gonzalez, an MG2 principal and founder of The Lionesque Group. "3D manifestations of the brand's iconography are thoughtfully incorporated into the store's display fixtures.

“The wall-mounted shelving has a squiggle edge, a nod to the Kizik shoe outsole. In one section of the space, a directional light and sound experience provides an unexpected sensory (and Instagrammable) moment,  added Gonzalez.

Kizik was founded by entrepreneur Mike Pratt, who filed the company’s first patents in 2014,  and launched the very first product line in 2017. Pratt, with a team of innovators and designers, established the brand’s parent company, HandsFree Labs. In 2019, Nike entered a licensing partnership with HandsFree Labs.