First Look: Adidas Originals goes big in Chicago
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Adidas has opened its largest Adidas Originals location to date, a 4,966-sq.-ft. flagship in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago.
The new outpost, which sits under a section of Chicago's elevated train system, is designed to reflect its surrounding. It is full of connections to the local creative community, including an original sculpture at the front of the store by Chicago artist POSE, and custom murals created by Tubsz, a South Side native that specializes in calligraffiti (a combination of calligraphy and graffiti.)
Other elements include locally produced art (in the form of layered prints) from a non-profit group that supplies art and curriculum to Chicago Public Schools that have lost their arts funding. The art will be switched out every quarter with another local artist’s work. Because of the partnership with adidas, the group will be able to put art in three schools in the next few weeks
The flagship store also has an “L” train inspired dressing room, complete with a bench styled after those at city CTA stations. Other dressing rooms were inspired by some of the Adidas Original shoes. And there is a community wall where customers can share information about upcoming events.
"The adidas Originals flagship store in Chicago shows our ongoing commitment to exploring new and innovative ways to be part of the local community,” said Pascha Naderi-Nejad, senior brand director Adidas Originals. “Now our largest adidas Originals store in the world, everything about it exemplifies how we partner with creators who have shared values and an ability to push the bounds of creativity.”
The new outpost, which sits under a section of Chicago's elevated train system, is designed to reflect its surrounding. It is full of connections to the local creative community, including an original sculpture at the front of the store by Chicago artist POSE, and custom murals created by Tubsz, a South Side native that specializes in calligraffiti (a combination of calligraphy and graffiti.)
Other elements include locally produced art (in the form of layered prints) from a non-profit group that supplies art and curriculum to Chicago Public Schools that have lost their arts funding. The art will be switched out every quarter with another local artist’s work. Because of the partnership with adidas, the group will be able to put art in three schools in the next few weeks
The flagship store also has an “L” train inspired dressing room, complete with a bench styled after those at city CTA stations. Other dressing rooms were inspired by some of the Adidas Original shoes. And there is a community wall where customers can share information about upcoming events.
"The adidas Originals flagship store in Chicago shows our ongoing commitment to exploring new and innovative ways to be part of the local community,” said Pascha Naderi-Nejad, senior brand director Adidas Originals. “Now our largest adidas Originals store in the world, everything about it exemplifies how we partner with creators who have shared values and an ability to push the bounds of creativity.”