The Italian chain AW LAB, specialized in sneakers and sportswear, has just opened its new flagship in Barcelona, the only one it has in Spain and the second of the multinational, with another in Milan. It has moved a few meters beyond its first location at number 4 Portal de l'Àngel, from where they began their expansion in the country eleven years ago, moving to the premises located at number 10 of Carrer dels Arcs, where Desigual had been in recent years.
The new premises have an area of 500 square meters. The opening, for an investment that has not been disclosed, has led to the hiring of 25 workers.
"This new opening represents another step in our commitment to Spain," says the Marketing Director at AW LAB, Elena Ranzato. The company, part of the Bata group, has a total of 52 establishments on the Peninsula, mainly in Spain. A few years ago it arrived in Portugal, where it opened a first store in the Algarve and plans to add a few more this year.
In Spain, they also plan to add four more stores this 2024. None of the new openings will be in Catalonia, where it already has 12 establishments, most of them located in shopping centers such as Glòries and Maquinista (Barcelona), Gran Via 2 (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat), Splau (Cornellà de Llobregat) or Finestrelles (Esplugues de Llobregat). They combine a model of own stores and franchises. By 2025, they plan to renovate all the stores they have in the country following the same aesthetic as the Barcelona flagship.
Born in 1997 as Athletes World, the brand combines physical and digital sales. Currently, it has more than 260 stores, distributed between its native Italy, where it has 220 stores, Spain and Portugal. Its main competitors are Foot Locker and JD. Italy and Spain are its main markets. In the case of Spain, it represents 23% of its revenues in Europe.
Add The New Barcelona Post as your preferred Google source for free
Stay informed with the latest news.
