Footasylum is cementing its roots in Manchester, UK, with a new 18,000 sq ft flagship at Manchester Arndale, opening on 27 March 2026 and backed by a new 20 year lease that signals a long term bet on one of the UK’s busiest shopping centres. The upsized Exchange Court store creates 14 new jobs and is pitched as an immersive streetwear destination that fuses the brand’s digital first energy with IRL community, culture, and product.
A Bigger, Bolder Home in Manchester Arndale
Located on the ground floor of Exchange Court (Unit L1/L2), the new flagship replaces Footasylum’s previous Arndale footprint with a significantly larger space designed to improve navigation, storytelling, and category depth. The store brings together leading sportswear and outdoor brands, including Nike, ASICS, HOKA, Saucony, Berghaus, and New Balance, alongside Footasylum exclusives Monterrain, Forena, and Epic Kid, reinforcing the retailer’s positioning at the intersection of performance and streetwear.
The 20 year lease renewal underscores a major capital commitment by Footasylum’s owners and by Manchester Arndale, which has highlighted the deal as a vote of confidence in the centre’s long term footfall and relevance.
Immersive Store Design and Digital First Energy The refurbished flagship has been built to translate Footasylum’s online personality into a tactile environment, with bold brand zones, strong visual merchandising, and social ready focal points.
Product stories are organised by brand and lifestyle, making it easy for shoppers to move between trainers, streetwear, outdoor, and kids, while screen led content and campaign visuals keep the space feeling close to the brand’s digital channels.
This strategy reflects a wider trend in UK retail toward experience led flagships that justify the trip and encourage dwell time, especially in high rent urban locations like Manchester city centre…
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