Decathlon to Open Urban Mobility Pilot Store

LILLE, France - Is it the start of a store network across Europe focused on urban mobility like Decathlon now has with its chain of 492 sporting goods selling outlets in 19 countries? If that will be the ultimate result of the test on an urban mobility store concept which the biggest bicycle seller in Europe is to conduct from next June on, then bike commuting is in for a huge boost!

The pilot store focused on urban mobility will be opened by the Oxylane Group, which is the parent company of Decathlon, in Lille, France. The offering of the 80 m² store located near Lille’s main train station as well as Decathlon’s HQ, will range from P&A including clothing for urban cycling as well as inline skating and walking.

Other news on the French sporting goods giant is about a huge, new European distribution center that came online recently. It is located near Decathlon’s head office in Lille, France; stands on a 51,000 m²
plot; employs over 300 people and costed Oxylane Group € 42 million. All shipments from Asia and other (European) countries are to arrive here for distribution to regional centers that cater the stores which do not carry any stocks.

In China Decathlon recently opened a 4,000 m² store in Tianjin (see photo) bringing the total number of outlets the sporting goods retailer now has in the country to ten.

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