The athletic T-shirt hasn’t been the same since Under Armour founder Kevin Plank debuted his apparel concept in 1996 – a shirt that regulates athletes’ body temperatures and wicks perspiration off their skin.
In the 12 years since, the company has expanded to offer sports accessories, shoes and even mountain climbing apparel. And now, in the wake of its success at sporting goods stores, Under Armour has opened a shop of its own in Annapolis, Md., near the company’s Baltimore headquarters.
Shoppers enter the 4500-square-foot store the way athletes enter a field – through a tunnel. Once inside, they’re surrounded by audio and visual messaging promoting the product.
The store’s futuristic design, by FRCH Design Worldwide (Cincinnati), is fronted by an imposing bronze statue of its brand ambassador, “Big E” (former pro football player Eric Ogbogu). Its décor is a mix of steel, black and silver and features a 120-inch rear-projection HD television screen.
Client: Under Armour, Baltimore — Chris Hufnagel, senior director, retail development; Jen Spaulding, director, retail execution; Scott Plank, senior, vp
Design: FRCH Design Worldwide, Cincinnati — Steve McGowan, vp, managing creative director; Scott Rink, director/project manager; Terri Altenau, director/project manager; Abby Jahnigen, interior designer; Rob Rink, director; Ryan McNaley, job captain
General Contractor: Mackenzie Keck, Hackettstown, N.J.
Outside Design Consultants: KLH Engineers, Columbus, Ohio (MEP engineer); Paul J. Ford and Co., Fort Thomas, Ky. (structural engineer)
Media: PlayNetwork Inc., Redmond, Wash.
Storefront and Fixtures: The Concrete Design Studio, Dover, N.J.
Material: 3 Form, Salt Lake City, Utah
Paint: Benjamin Moore, Canton, Ohio
Concrete Colorant: LM Scofield Co., Douglasville, Ga.
Finishes: Tiger Drylac Powdercoat, St. Charles, Ill.; Nass Fresco Finishes, Fox River Grove, Ill.
Fixtures: Vulkane Industrial Arts, Cincinnati
Flooring: Bolon Flooring, Ulricehamn, Sweden; Welling Inc., Cincinnati; BL Wilcox & Associates, Whittier, Calif.; EcoSurfaces, Lancaster, Pa.; Armstrong, Lancaster, Pa.
Wall Finish: Johnsonite, Cincinnati
Photography: OMS Photography, Cincinnati