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UPDATE: Kizik Opens Permanent Stores in Mall of America and King of Prussia Following Successful NYC Pop-Up

The hands-free shoe brand is extending its stay in SoHo after a successful weekend for its pop-up shop. Get all the details on the store design and experience.
Photo credit: Kizik // Emu Haynes

[Update from 5/07/2024] Following Kizik’s announcement that it would be extending the duration of its New York City’s pop-up, the footwear brand has revealed it will open its second permanent store at the Mall of America on May 17.

The new 1,645-square-foot space was developed with MG2, the design firm that helped bring the NYC pop-up concept to life. The Mall of America store represents a critical milestone for Kizik: the brand has an intentional growth roadmap that includes these types of “iconic” retail destinations. The new storefront is designed to create a high-sensory fit experience for customers while conveying a sense of motion that encourages them to explore the store.

As part of its “aggressive phase of retail expansion,” Kizik revealed it will open a store in King of Prussia, Penn. on June 14, the brand’s first permanent store on the East Coast. This space also was designed in partnership with MG2. 

Original story begins: 

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Kizik and MG2 initially opened the pop-up in New York City’s SoHo to gauge market demand. The people have obviously spoken, because the brand has decided to extend the pop-up through Memorial Day.

Originally slated to run for one weekend (April 19-21), the Greene Street pop-up is the first physical manifestation of Kizik’s new brand identity and “motion is magic” tagline. As a result, the companies have intentionally made motion a driving force of the space — and the shopper journey.

From the front window, passersby see a conveyor belt shoe display that then brings them to the epicenter of the store, which is a series of full-sized mirrors and various shoe sizes that shoppers can easily step into. Customers can then venture to the back of the store, where they open a secret door to an illuminated portal and an interactive, motion-driven media experience that fully actualizes the new branding.

MG2 Principal Melissa Gonzalez described the space as an “experiential introduction” of the rebranding that also elevates Kizik’s core innovation: its proprietary step-in technology. In fact, the entire space is designed to be frictionless. A full run of sizes is sprinkled throughout the store, so consumers can grab and step into their sizes without having to wait for an associate. Customers also can easily order shoes in-store and have them delivered to their homes so they don’t have to lug their purchases around the city.

Kizik used the pop-up to celebrate the official launch of five new silhouettes, reaffirming the brand’s equal focus on fashion as well as function, according to Chief Merchandising Officer Gretchen Weimer. She noted that the brand is “really leaning into style moving forward” during a conversation with Retail TouchPoints.  

A Path for Brand Expansion

Kizik and MG2 have worked together since 2022, including bringing the brand’s first permanent store, in Salt Lake City to life. The companies also are working together on Kizik’s second permanent store (the first to incorporate the new brand identity) at the Mall of America in Minnesota, as well as a new location in Pennsylvania’s King of Prussia Mall, according to CEO Monte Deere.

Deere told Retail TouchPoints that the ultimate vision is to open 15 permanent locations by the end of 2025. The company is using online data and ecommerce sales as an indicator for future physical store locations, since “that ripple effect is very real,” he said.

Kizik also plans to expand its wholesale footprint. Currently, the brand is in more than 200 doors across key retail partners like Nordstrom and Alan’s Shoes and has plans to launch soon on Zappos.com.

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