Folks in search of affordable athletic gear can now look no further than Burnaby.
A French sporting goods retailer with a footprint of more than 1,700 stores in 60 countries worldwide will be making its way to B.C. with its first store in Metrotown mall.
Decathlon will open its doors in Burnaby in spring 2024 — the first in Metro Vancouver and in B.C.
The flagship store will offer a wide range of products and sporting goods, a news release noted.
Guests can test, touch, feel the products — including bikes, camping tents, and more — before purchasing. Workshops for tune-ups, repairs and maintenance of bikes, kayaks and other high-value products would also be held at the new store.
"We are so excited to welcome Decathlon, a brand that has built an incredible reputation for providing high-quality sports products at affordable prices," said Amanda Chung, spokesperson for Metropolis at Metrotown.
The store will house a dedicated space for affordable skiing and snowboarding gear, as well as road, mountain and hybrid bikes.
Prior to the grand opening in 2024, Decathlon will host a pop-up shop at the mall in late October 2023 for guests to browse through a selection of affordable rain jackets, waterproof hiking shoes and other accessories.
Located opposite the Muji store on the ground level in Metrotown, the pop-up store will also include a collection of other sporting goods like trekking and multi-purpose backpacks, road- and trail- running shoes, swimwear and other water sport accessories.
While this is the first of Decathlon stores in the province, the retailer is not new to Canada.
Having first arrived in the country in 2018, they have already established a loyal customer base in other parts of Canada including Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and Nova Scotia.
"It has been a long journey, but it's now official: Decathlon will serve Canada from coast to coast,” said Guillaume Hautson, Decathlon's regional manager for B.C.
"Metro Vancouver is an inspiring place to be. Along with other players, Decathlon will contribute to this landscape by making sports more accessible for Vancouverites.
"In our stores across other provinces and even around the globe, we have strived to empower people from all walks of life to make sports their own," Hautson added.
"We are even more excited that this adventure begins with Metropolis at Metrotown, a legendary mall in Canada. It is not only at the epicentre of the Greater Vancouver area, but also allows us to meet and learn from the incredibly diverse communities of Burnaby."
For more information on the Decathlon pop-up and the store opening, you can visit its website.
