Nike Is Quietly Shutting Down Its Small Neighborhood Stores

Nike is quietly closing its small neighborhood-level stores across the United States. The format, launched in 2018 under the name Nike Live, debuted as a hyperlocal, neighborhood-tailored store concept in the Melrose area of Los Angeles. That very location, along with at least 14 other stores, has now been closed entirely. The shuttered stores span California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas.

'Like all retailers, we regularly evaluate our store fleet and make changes based on market dynamics to align with our growth strategy, including through store upgrades and rightsizing our physical retail footprint,' a Nike spokesperson said in comments to Retail Dive. 'This is part of our work to build Nike's marketplace of the future.'

After piloting the Nike Live format in 2020, Nike said it could open up to 200 small-format stores across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The company spokesperson did not respond to questions about the peak total number of stores. Nike Live stores were rebranded as Nike Well Collective in 2023.

The company also did not give a clear answer to questions about its future strategy for the neighborhood store concept, or whether these closures are over.

On an earnings call with analysts this summer, Nike CEO Elliott Hill said the company is taking 'meaningful steps' as part of its Nike Direct strategy, including elevating the consumer experience and reducing online discounting. 'We've elevated more than 150 stores with sport-led experiences,' Hill said. 'Over time, we will continue to rezone and elevate our store fleet, and we will close stores that no longer fit our strategy. At our scale, that takes time. We are not done yet.'