The Mitchell & Ness apparel section at the NBA Store in New York has a new look.
The Philadelphia-based company has updated its Hardwood Classics department to mimic a locker room. Previously, the aesthetic was more in line with the rest of the NBA store, but now it features lockers, custom-made walnut fixtures and two glass-encased displays that highlight the latest headwear and apparel. The section is stocked with jerseys, dad hats, snapbacks, warm-up jackets and shooting shirts.
To celebrate the launch, Mitchell & Ness has rereleased former NBA player Allen Iverson’s black NBA Finals jersey from 2001, which comes with an Iverson x Enterbay figurine. Iverson will appear at an in-store event today.
According to Adam Herstig, vice president of marketing at Mitchell & Ness, the brand hopes to partner directly with more NBA players. Other plans for 2017 include focusing on premium jerseys, collaborating with brands and doing more activations. During the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans last month, the brand operated a pop-up shop featuring Lids, Reebok and Sneaker Politics.
The 25,000-square-foot NBA store opened in late 2015 and is operated by Fanatics, which sells licensed sports items and memorabilia and has operated the NBA’s e-commerce site for close to a decade. This new store came after the last NBA flagship at 666 Fifth Avenue closed about five years ago.