The Vitamin Shoppe debuts 'Hometown Stores' in-store shop concept
A leading health and wellness retailer is partnering with well-known fitness supplement brands to create co-branded retail spaces in select markets.
The Vitamin Shoppe’s new Hometown Stores concept pairs a local store with a top partner brand that has its company headquarters and/or deep roots in the same metro area. Each features an enlarged, custom-branded retail space within an existing The Vitamin Shoppe location, where partner brands can showcase expanded product ranges and exclusive merchandise, in addition to hosting marketing activations, events and social content opportunities.
The Vitamin Shoppe’s sport nutrition partners include Bucked Up, EHPlabs, Gorilla Mind, RAW Nutrition and RYSE, with more set to come later this year. (The EHPlabs locations are uniquely dubbed Community Hubs since the brand is headquartered in Australia. The Vitamin Shoppe said it selected two U.S. stores with exceptionally passionate local fan bases.)
Each shop is designed to be a fully immersive brand environment, with 200 sq. ft. or more of retail space for the designaged brand partner. The shops will feature large-scale signage, enhanced fixtures and displays, and even custom refrigerators stocked with the brand's energy drinks, protein shakes and hydration beverages. Customers can shop expanded product assortments and exclusive merch, including apparel and accessories that are unavailable elsewhere at retail.
"These custom-designed, shop-in-shop experiences are a game-changer," said Lee Wright, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe. "We're offering our brand partners a unique opportunity to create dynamic retail showcases right in their own backyards, where they can connect with their most dedicated customers like never before. By expanding their presence within The Vitamin Shoppe, our partners can truly bring their brand stories to life through exclusive product, events, and content – all while reinforcing our stores as the industry's premier specialty wellness destination."
[READ MORE: The Vitamin Shoppe enters global distribution partnership]
To date, The Vitamin Shoppe's Hometown Stores and Community Hubs include the following locations and brand partners:
- Gorilla Mind – The Vitamin Shoppe, 101 North Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles
- EHPlabs – The Vitamin Shoppe, 137 East State Rte. 4, Paramus, N.J.
- EHPlabs – The Vitamin Shoppe, 7009 Highway 6 North, Houston
- Bucked Up – The Vitamin Shoppe, 10515 South State Street, Sandy, Utah.
- RYSE – The Vitamin Shoppe, 2995 Preston Rd., Frisco, Texas
- RAW Nutrition – The Vitamin Shoppe, 1756 SW St. Lucie West Blvd, Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Opening in April 2025)
"Partnering with The Vitamin Shoppe to open our Bucked Up Hometown Store in Sandy, Utah was a natural fit – giving us a space where the community can fully experience our brand," said Ryan Gardner, CEO of Bucked Up. "This location showcases our full product lineup, exclusive drops, and immersive in-store activations, giving customers an all-access pass to the Bucked Up lifestyle. The response has been incredible, and we're excited to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation with The Vitamin Shoppe."
A subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc., The Vitamin Shoppe operates over 675 company-operated retail stores under The Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements banners.
