JD Sports is to triple its floorspace at Craigavon-based shopping destination Rushmere in a move which is creating 30 additional jobs.
The retailer, which has been at Rushmere since 2008 and is best-known for its sporting and active-wear brands including Adidas, Nike, North Face and Puma, will relocate to a 10,086 sq. ft unit at the main mall entrance.
The new store is due to open in July and will see JD Sports significantly increase its product offering of trainers, sportswear and fashionwear.
Retailer confidence has been high at Rushmere (www.rushmereshopping.com) following last year’s announcement that a £10 million redevelopment project is under way to completely reimagine the destination’s visitor experience.
The redevelopment plan first commenced in spring 2023 and has already secured a growing number of new brands to the tenant portfolio.
Book retailer Waterstones, homeware and lifestyle giant Miniso, sandwich outlet Subway, and speciality coffee house Fika all opened their doors last year, and a number of new retailer announcements are expected in the coming months.
Rushmere centre manager Martin Walsh said: “JD Sports has been with us for several years, so we’re thrilled the brand is further investing by creating a larger, new and improved flagship store for customers.
“The deal illustrates both retailer confidence and a shared vision with our retailers to place Rushmere firmly on the map as an exceptional shopping destination.”
He added: “We’re making great progress with our redevelopment plan, and the month-on-month uplift in footfall figures indicates the work completed to date is already positively impacting the visitor experience.”
