A Nike Unite store will open later this year in the former DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse location at 910 Ellsworth Drive, according to signage posted at the storefront.
An on-site worker confirmed the opening today, noting that the store in the Downtown Silver Spring development would open “sometime this year” but would not give a specific opening timetable. The worker also noted that a Nike Unite location recently opened in Fairfax, Va.
Nike Unite, originally announced in late 2020, is a new store concept for the Beaverton, Ore.-based company. “Nike Unite exists to serve and celebrate the people in each local community, and each store is designed to be a reflection of their heart and spirit,” the company said in an announcement. “Consumers are welcomed by an in-store community wall highlighting the store team and local partnerships, and design elements throughout the space also look to tell the story of the community. From local landmarks to hometown athletes, the design allows the local residents to feel represented in the space.
“The products in each Nike Unite door are also reflective of what the community is interested in: locally curated, everyday essentials at the best price, matched with the newness of select seasonal offerings. Additionally, Nike Unite doors reflect Nike’s commitment to hiring people who live in the local community.”
DSW is in the midst of relocating to Ellsworth Place and is targeting an “early fall” opening. Brentwood, Tenn.-based GBT Realty, owners of Ellsworth Place, confirmed in January of this year that the discount shoe retailer signed a lease in late 2021, with construction underway to renovate the former Guitar Center storefront on Level 4 of the mall.
The Source will update with more information as it becomes available.
Photo by David Lay