Levy Restaurants’ retail group has signed a long-term deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks to run the merchandise at Chase Field as the vendor makes a stronger push into that piece of the concessions business.
Levy manages the stadium’s foodservice, and the retail agreement runs more than 10 years, concurrent with its food contract, Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall said.
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Levy Retail will remake the team store at Chase Field.
Photo by: L.M. PARR / ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
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The Diamondbacks are Chicago-based Levy’s first sports retail account outside of its home market. Levy Retail operates merchandise at United Center, Wrigley Field and Arlington Park, and the Blackhawks Store on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.
Beyond Chase Field, Levy Retail is seeking more opportunities to expand its retail portfolio at big league and college sports facilities as well as concert venues, said John Franzini, Levy’s vice president of national retail.
In Phoenix, Levy Retail is spending a seven-figure sum to expand the 5,690-square-foot team store by 15 percent and turn eight kiosks into walk-in locations, some specializing in women’s and children’s apparel.
As part of the deal, Levy is developing a 32-foot-long Diamondbacks-branded truck to travel throughout Greater Phoenix and serve as a pop-up merchandise unit. It will be parked by the ballpark while the team store is closed for renovations, Hall said.
Levy has a similar mobile operation selling Chicago Blackhawks merchandise outside of United Center, the NHL team’s home arena.
Levy Retail won the Chase Field account over seven competitors, including some traditional mall retail brands, Hall said. Levy already does a great job on the food side, he said, and team officials thought it was the best fit for upgrading the retail operation.
To get in position to win more business at the national level, Levy will market its Diamondbacks operation as the flagship store for its 15-person retail group headed by Franzini. He joined Levy last December after spending 10 years at Aramark.
It won’t be easy as Levy competes against big league food vendors that already have established retail divisions. Other firms specialize in retail, such as Gameday Merchandising, which held the Diamondbacks’ contract for the past nine seasons and has multiple deals in sports.
In addition, Fanatics and Lids, two brands that have made their mark in online sales and retail malls, respectively, have recently won business at arenas and stadiums. Plus, teams such as the Green Bay Packers and Toronto Maple Leafs prefer to run retail in-house at their facilities.
“It’s a very tough business, managing inventory, stocking the right items without overstocking or running out late in the season, and merchandising it creatively,” consultant Chris Bigelow said. “But it is one more service [Levy] can offer its clients and potential clients.”
At Chase Field, Levy Restaurants has partnered with design, development and fabrication firm 555 International to help renovate the team store.
