Brand and retail design consultancy Green Room has designed and delivered a first-of-its-kind digital concept store for the region’s leading sports retailer, Sun & Sand Sports.

Occupying over 1,800 SqM in the prestigious The Dubai Mall, this flagship sets a global retail benchmark of cutting-edge technology and innovative design, strengthened by a new brand look and feel. Delivered through a category led approach, the store is brimming with features providing a dynamic digital environment. From immersive experiences such as football and basketball trial zones to the latest in touch-screen technology with digital hubs and buying guides throughout, the interactive journey satisfies the consumer need for engagement and real-time information.

The centre-piece is an incredible event space with seven SqM digital LED floor, screen and pelmet display that leads customers to the heart of the action. This area and every screen in the store has the ability to be controlled via tablet – perfect for in-store takeovers and brand activation. Combined with a state-of-the-art tracking application, Sun & Sand Sports are provided with real-time store heat map, demographic and route data, delivering invaluable insight and analysis for continued content improvement. The store also features a CRE-8 customisation station with artists designing and creating bespoke, personalised products from sneakers to surfboards, enabling visitors to customise a tailored look.

To further enhance the new retail destination Sun & Sand Sports asked Green Room to develop their brand, reinforcing them as champions of the very latest in sport and fitness. Through a comprehensive research and insight programme, the findings were translated into a clear brand definition and retail strategy for the ambitious retailer. Green Room transformed this into a striking identity reflecting the dynamic nature of sports. Green Room’s CEO and Founder, Richard Ash, states “it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to work with an ambitious, enlightened client who is prepared to genuinely push the boundaries of retail design.” Ash continues, “Sun & Sand Sports challenged us to create a new benchmark in sports retailing and in realising this ambition we are all extremely proud of the results.”

“Retailers need to engage with their customers in new ways” said Miquel Pancorbo, President of Sports Division – Gulf Marketing Group. “The UAE market has a growing need for more urban retail environments which reflect the lifestyle and demands of customers. Working with Green Room enabled us to make the shopping experience at Sun & Sand Sports concept store, a fun, entertaining and personalised journey for our customers. We have invested in the latest technology, design and service concepts to create something truly unique. Pancorbo continued: “We are pleased to work with world leading designers such as Green Room that helped us to create a truly immersive experience, one which brings that shopping journey to life.”
The new concept provides a significant milestone in retail, offering the world’s leading sports brands a format that delivers the very latest in technology and experience, creating something truly unique.

About Green Room
Green Room is a design consultancy that creates and delivers brand and retail experiences. From their studios in Birmingham, London and Amsterdam, Green Room delivers retail insights, brand and retail strategy, environment, experiential and workspace design for brands including Nike, The North Face, Timberland, Mercedes-Benz and British Gas.

About Sun & Sand Sports
Sun & Sand Sports are a multi-brand, multi-category sports retailer headquartered in Dubai Since 1979, Sun & Sand Sports has been committed to ensuring that their customers have access to the world’s leading sporting brands and products. They serve customers in over 200 stores in the Middle East, offering 90 diverse sports brands including Nike, The North Face, Timberland, Columbia, Arena, Vans, Dunlop, Kettler, Icon and many more.