Mérida, Yucatán — A big-box sporting goods store will be at bat here by June.
France-based Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting goods chain, is preparing for a grand opening near the Chedraui Selecto and the Siglo XXI convention center.
This will be Decathlon Group’s first foray into southeast Mexico after opening stores in Querétaro, Mexico City and Monterrey beginning in 2016.
Decathlon joins dozens of international brands — H&M and Best Buy are some of the most recent famous names — entering Mérida.
Merida hosts more than 50 national and international brands, according to Sipse.
The arrival of new companies, its fluid migratory flow and high levels of security are cited in Merida’s status as No. 3 in Mexico for real estate growth, just below Querétaro and Mexico City, according to the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals.
Founded in 1976, Decathlon Group has more than 1,100 stores in 30 countries and more than 78,000 employees. It designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of sports equipment and accessories, with over 20 in-house brands.
Despite being an international chain, Decathlon won’t likely be too familiar to shoppers from north of the border. Canada’s first Decathlon opened this month in Brossard, QC. Its first U.S. store opened last fall in San Francisco.
With information from Sipse
