Hi everyone, So I have some exciting news Athleta, a division of Gap Inc will be opening its doors here in Houston on May 9th . This brand of stylish and flattering active wear is designed by women for active women. Athleta’s new store will be located in the Town & Country Village where they will carry fitness and lifestyle apparel for your sport such as running, yoga, golf as well as they carry accessories and footwear plus a lot more. I had the opportunity to interview Tess Roering, Athleta’s VP of Marketing. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
When and by whom was Athleta started?
Athleta was founded in 1998 in Sonoma County as a catalog business and was acquired by Gap Inc. in September of 2008; it is now one of the company’s five brands and is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. Athleta sells direct through a consumer catalog, online through http://www.Athleta.com, and now through 12 stores across the country.
What was/is the inspiration behind the brand?
Athleta’s mission is to celebrate and serve women athletes of all levels. Our unique breadth of product designed by and for female athletes offers both strength and beauty for every athletic pursuit, from running to swimming to skiing to biking and everything in between. We use technical fabrications and unique designs targeted at women athletes who want high performance in the activity, and incorporate meaningful details – reflective designs on flicker points, hidden pockets with locking zippers, thumb holes, quick drying fabrics, and more. Athleta combines that with beautiful, feminine designs that make women look and feel beautiful.
Why did Athleta decide to open a Houston location?
For years our customers have been telling us they want a place where they can touch and feel – and try on – our beautiful performance and lifestyle products. The store will provide an opportunity for our Houston customers to do just that, as well as connect with and be inspired by other women athletes. As with other markets, we listened to our amazing existing catalog and online customers to help us pinpoint a location nearest them. We are thrilled to be making our Texas debut by opening in Houston, one of our most saturated customer markets. Having a store in Houston will not only reach our existing customers but also expose new customers to Athleta.
How does Athleta plan on becoming involved with the community?
We are a national partner of Girls on the Run – a national non-profit prevention program that encourages pre-teen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running – and will leverage our stores, in addition to national support, to provide additional assistance to the organization’s local chapters. In fact, in celebration of our Houston store opening, we’re making a donation to the Houston chapter of Girls on the Run and will be working locally to build awareness of this terrific program and helping them to recruit volunteers. While our first month or so we plan to focus on making sure our customers have the best experience in our store, we plan to partner with our customers to identify where and how they would like us to get involved.
Will you have local ambassadors?
We definitely love to partner with local fitness enthusiasts to share the Athleta culture and to in turn learn what the local community is interested in. We also offer a discount to fitness professionals and have an Athleta Sponsored Athlete program that is granted to women around the country on a yearly basis. This program celebrates the powerful life force and athletic accomplishments of a select group of women that embody the essence of Power to the She.
Will Athleta offer free classes occasionally?
Our Town & Country Village store will offer a variety of free fitness classes throughout the month. These classes may include yoga, Pilates, Zumba, or a run club. Each store offers a different, localized class schedule. To the get latest information, visit our store page on www.athleta.com/stores .
How can I as a Pilates Instructor/Personal Trainer help to promote the new store?
Some of the opportunities within our stores include teaching classes, receiving our fitness pro discount and trying out our latest products, or hosting a private shopping event with clients and friends. We encourage you to meet with the store’s General Manager and Customer Experience Lead to see what needs they may have out in the community. They’re always interested in getting to know trainers and instructors as it’s these connections that help to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our customers. Here are just a few pieces from the collection.
Go check them out and spread the word. This is a fantastic brand.
| Seamless Hanalei Tank Regal Purple | Dash Top Tank -Orange | |
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| Long Woven Bead Necklace | Yoga Bag | |
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| Dipper Skort ( we all need a skort) | Printed Tee Maxi Dress | |
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| Havaianas Flip Flop | Pony up Hoodie | |
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Have a great week everyone.
Jodie Pilates Blog 