Lululemon opens permanent store

Mark Urban, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 14—TRAVERSE CITY — A pop-up no more.

Athletic apparel retailer Lululemon, which has operated a pop-up store in downtown Traverse City at 204 E. Front St. for nearly three years, opens a permanent location today at 218 E. Front St.

Store manager Meghan Conrad said the pop-up store opened June 2020 and closed April 9 for the move down the street. She said the pop-up met year-over-year sales metrics.

"Our local relationship and presence in the community has allowed us to be successful and see growth in our business year over year, which made it obvious there was a demand for a permanent presence in Traverse City," said Conrad, who came to manage the northern Michigan location and has been with Lululemon for nine years.

The Traverse City store is the 10th in Michigan. The closest state store to TC is in Grand Rapids.

Lululemon also has Michigan locations in Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Clinton Township, Detroit, East Lansing, Novi, Rochester Hills and Troy.

Founded in 1998 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada as a retailer of yoga wear, Lululemon expanded into other "athletic wear, lifestyle apparel, accessories and personal care products," according to Wikipedia. The company has 574 stores internationally and also sells online, according to the website.

Conrad said the Traverse City store has two "brand ambassadors." Leslie Simionescu is the store yoga ambassador while Melissa Ray has the same role for training.

As part of its opening weekend celebration, the Traverse City Lululemon store is having two free, hour-long community classes. There is a mobility class on Saturday and a gentle yoga class on Sunday before the store is open for business.

Conrad said the 40 spots for each class filled up quickly.

"They were sold out in a couple of hours," she said. "We hope to continue to offer these complimentary classes for the community."

The new Lululemon store will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Starting Memorial Day weekend, hours will extend from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Conrad said the Traverse City store had a staff of about 25 employees and she is looking for more.

"We are still hiring for some help, especially for people that can stay throughout the year," Conrad said. "We are hiring for all sorts of roles, both full-time and part-time."

Conrad said Lululemon welcomes everyone to the store.

"We are a very inclusive brand," she said. "We welcome all walks of life and aim to deliver a great guest experience for everyone."

While Lululemon usually emphasizes a modern feel to its stores, Conrad said the 10th Michigan location continued to embrace the vibe of downtown Traverse City.

"We were very excited, we kept a lot of historical elements of the (building)," Conrad said.