Lids Launches New Retail Concept Leaning Into Personalization

Lids, a global sports retailer has launched a refreshed retail concept designed to elevate the shopping experience with a strong focus on personalization with a modernized layout, enhanced Custom Zone, and expanded selection of localized and exclusive products. There’s increased attention on fashion headwear encouraging consumers to embrace their own individual style.

“We’ve had the same look and feel for several years now,” said Bob Durda, president of Lids. “We felt it was time to upgrade so we’ve been working on this since August, thinking about the best way to roll this out in various markets. We put together a sample set of stores across the U.S. that kind of hit our tourists markets, our suburban markets and our fashion markets. We just wanted a strong sample set and we feel like we achieved that.”

The new store concept offers a reimagined Custom Zone offering shoppers even more personalization options for their hats and jerseys. Each store will deliver a best-in-class “personalize everything” customization experience and for the first time, shoppers will be able to digitally personalize headwear in stores through Build-A-Cap kiosks.

Besides embroidery, there’s a patch bar and a curve station, which appeals to a hard core fashion collector. “They like to curve their hat in a certain way and a lot of retailers use a steamer to set the curve,” Durda said. “We’ve invested in a state of the art curving machine that’s automated. You pick the level of the curve and it will automatically curve the hat. It takes about six to eight minutes and you have the desired curve that you requested. We’re the only retailer that offers that.

“Customization has always been at the heart of our brand, and this new store design takes it to the next level,” said Durda. “We’re offering more ways for customers to make their gear uniquely theirs – whether it’s stitching, patching, or curving. This rollout represents our commitment to a dynamic, customer-centric experience where every visit feels personal, engaging and tailored to each individual.”

Durda said remodeled stores will see anywhere from a 5 percent to 10 percent comp jump over a year’s period. “We anticipate a dollar per transaction increase, which we think we’re going to achieve through our custom zone experience and we’re implementing a lot more impulse items.”

Lids added new assortments that focus on the hyper-local and tap into the community and local pride. Besides the hyper local bent, there’s more fashion and lifestyle products than the store offered in the past. A new collection called Home Run Hues apparel and headwear in unique colorways, logos and designs launched this month. There’s a massive custom T-shirt wall and the store concept has a stronger focus on women’s and kid’s. “It’s going to have a lot better wayfinding and shopability throughout and the new fixtures are more conducive to a collection-based product,” Durda said.

Lids stores range from 800 to 1,200 square feet and the company’s Locker Room nameplate runs from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. “There’s a lot of variation in terms of size and volume,” Durda said.

The new retail concept is in 20 stores including 10 Lids and 10 Locker Rooms at locations such as Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., and smaller units such as Castelton Square in Indianapolis and Cumberland Mall in Atlanta. “We’re going to try to measure everything over the next 60 to 90 days and we’re looking to roll out 50 to 100 units over the next 12 months,” said Durda. “We may accelerate that if it exceeds expectations.”