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The sportif’s space

By Stephanie Maureen F. Asi, Staff Writer

11/12/2008

The city of Makati continues to add more to the shopaholic’s choices. With the addition of Greenbelt 5 to the many malls and lifestyle centers in the area, Makati is sure to become one of the most frequented destinations in the country this holiday shopping season. Recently, Nike Stadium, joined the roster of the opulent stores included in Greenbelt 5. Most of the stores in this mall are strictly for the fashionista with fashion labels, both local and international, opening their doors to the affluent market. But Nike Stadium proposes an alternative to these brands, being one that caters not only to the fashionista, but the sportif as well.

Anton Gonzalez, Planet Sports Inc. president and a racket sports enthusiast, was eager to share why they chose Greenbelth 5 to be the location for their 13th store in the country. “When we heard that Greenbelt 5 is gonna be a lifestyle mall, we thought that this will be a good opportunity for us, so we jumped at the opportunity.” Nike Stadium, which operates under Planet Sports, is the first retailer of the famous sports brand in the country. They built their first store in Megamall in 1993. Soon after, more stores followed across the Philippines. This time, they are gracing Greenbelt 5’s location.

Gonzalez informs that the 13 Nike Stadium stores they are managing require careful planning. “Every Nike Stadium is different. It all depends on how big the store is, where it’s located, the demographic of the people where the store is located. But we have one theme, our brand theme for Nike Stadium in every location,” he explains. In the case of the store in Greenbelt 5, it’s more of Nike sportswear.

The 120-square meter space of Nike Stadium in Greenbelt 5 abounds with choices for the athlete or the sporty casual dresser. The primary focus is Nike sportswear or the NSW line. This includes casual wear, apparel and rubber shoes. It also carries the men’s basketball line. What will Nike be without their sport shoes? Of course, men’s cross training are featured in the store, as well as women’s. But perhaps the most talked about products that the store will carry are included in the NSW line featuring eight Nike design icons. The Windrunner, AW 77 Hoody, the Air Force 1, Air Max 90, Eugene Track Jacket, the Cortez, the Nike Sportswear Tee and the Nike Dunk will be found among the shelves of Greenbelt 5’s Nike Stadium. These hard-to-find products have gained a following in the international arena, particularly among the youth, not only for its durability and performance, but also for its stylish appeal.

This holiday season, expect the newest Nike selections to hit Nike Stadium at Greenbelt 5. Gonzalez is confident of this store’s success and sees that the opening of their 14th store isn’t that far off. “As the other stores in the mall continue to open, I think this store will get stronger and stronger. I feel that we bought the right product for the store. I look at the timing of this to be quite good considering that we opened two months before Christmas. I’m looking forward to a good holiday season for this store.”

For more information on Nike sportswear visit www.nikepsortswear.com or visit Nike Stadium at Greenbelt 5.