Athleta Makes Its Debut in the Windy City

Athleta's new Chicago location in Lakeview.

I’ve been a fan of Athleta for years. And I almost distinctly remember when Athleta first came out with it’s line of clothing for female athletes about 12 years ago. I was immediately a fan probably only because it was a Gap, Inc. product and I loved the Gap. Over the years, I kept my fan status after buying more than a few products for my extremely active lifestyle. But not until yesterday’s event did I really learn about Athleta’s vision for women in general and for this amazing new store.

I was very happy to have been invited to this exclusive event and to have the chance to talk to Tess Roering, Vice President of Marketing, about Athleta’s vision for Chicago.

Here’s what she had to say:

By women athletes, for women athletes

When I asked Tess what’s different about Athleta compared to similar brands and athletic clothes, the above phrase stood out the most. “Our products are designed by women athletes for women athletes. We go out and test them and make sure their working the way we want. We note what we like and what we don’t like and use that feedback for the design. It’s also the breadth of the incredible line of products. Swimming, running, yoga, tennis, cycling, skiing, cross country skiing. You name it, we have it. To top it all off, we have the BEST performance fabric and details. Everything is built from the ground up to be exactly what a woman is going to want.” Based on just that explanation…I’m SOLD!

Bright colors, beautiful designs, versatile clothing for every woman

Why Chicago?

It has to be said that Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the world! Am I biased? Yes, I am. Who doesn’t love Chicago? (Don’t answer that.)  So, bringing this incredible line of athletic clothing to life here is only right. “Athleta chose Chicago because of the huge demographic of customers here that are buying our products. Chicago is a very active community that likes to look good. Just because I’m going out for a run doesn’t mean I have to look a mess,” stated Tess. I couldn’t agree more.

Yoga Gear

And we can all agree that having a physical store to be able to try things on is always good. Ordering online is tricky. Especially for tall, lanky folks like me. I usually avoid buying workout pants online because they never fit well. Even when I think I’ve got a brand’s measurements right, I somehow end up with “flooding” pants. Athleta also has a really cool and convenient perk where you can take your new gear in for any alterations they may need.  Need your pants longer or shorter? Done. Want your shirt a little tighter? Done. Gotta love that.

Swim, Yoga, Gym...something for everyone.

Perks for Fitness Professionals

Now, you know I was extra intrigued to hear that Athleta offers so much for fitness professionals like myself. Yoga instructors, personal trainers, group exercise instructors, bootcamp drill sergeants – those whose passion is to bring people into a healthy lifestyle, can enjoy a 30% off discount on all their purchases. But it doesn’t end there. Tess stated, “Athleta will open the store and allow instructors to hold classes there. Everything is on wheels so they just roll everything away and use the space, ” Tess says. How cool is that? Great way to expand your customer base. I love that Athleta thinks of it’s community of consumers is such a creative way.

Beautiful yoga demonstrations inside and in front of the store.

There’s pretty much something for any and every female athlete at Athleta. She can find FREE fitness and yoga classes each week to continue her healthy and active lifestyle. Cute, stylish and useful workout clothes that may even make her workout more fun. I’m pretty sure I’ll be visiting Athleta a lot. Summer is coming and they always have the cutest bathing suits.

Athleta’s official store opening is today at 9:00am. They are located at 3415 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Follow them on Twitter too: @athleta_chicago. Happy shopping and welcome to Chicago, Athleta!

More pictures of the store and the event below:

Tess Roering and myself.