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Big stride: Xtep opens first Saucony store in Hong Kong, eyes more prime retail sites

Chinese sportswear group positions premium running brand in Hong Kong as improving market sentiment draws retailers back to prime sites

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A promotional installation at K11 for the opening of the Saucony store in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
Peggy Ye
Chinese sportswear maker Xtep International has opened Saucony’s first standalone store in Hong Kong, signalling the premium running brand will expand further, with the city positioned as a showcase market while the group’s core label is reserved for broader overseas growth.

The outlet at K11 Art Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui is Saucony’s first directly operated store in Hong Kong after Xtep took full control of the brand’s business in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau through a buyout of its joint venture with Wolverine World Wide.

“Hong Kong is strategically important for the brand,” group CEO Tian Zhong told the media on Friday. “We have confidence in the market and will continue looking for suitable properties in core shopping districts.”

Best known for its mass-market running shoes on the mainland, Xtep completed the buyout in early 2024, acquiring the remaining interest in Saucony’s intellectual property rights for about US$61 million, along with full ownership of the regional operating entities.

While Xtep’s core brand is leading the group’s expansion into Southeast Asia, executives said Saucony will remain focused on Hong Kong and Macau, where its premium positioning is viewed as a better fit.

The move comes as mainland retailers gradually return to Hong Kong’s shopping districts amid improving sentiment.
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