Boston-based City Sports is using a pop-up store at the Boston Triathlon on July 30 as an "informal kickoff" of the company's relaunch, according to Jon Chesto of the BOSTON GLOBE. The sporting apparel chain "went into bankruptcy nearly two years ago," but was bought in February '16 by brothers Brent and Blake Sonnek-Schmelz. They launched a new City Sports website "last fall, and have signed a few suppliers, such as Adidas and New Balance," with more in the works. However, their sponsorship of the Boston Triathlon "marks the new company’s first such effort to get involved with a local event." The brothers are working on other deals but "aren’t ready to announce them yet." Brent Sonnek-Schmelz said that he is "on the lookout for locations" for brick-and-mortar stores in Boston, N.Y. and Philadelphia. He hopes to have a temporary store in Boston "by next spring, and at least one permanent location open by the end" of '18. Sonnek-Schmelz said that a storefront gives the retailer an "opportunity to better connect with customers" than simply running as an online outlet. City Sports had 26 stores at the time of the bankruptcy, and Sonnek-Schmelz "doesn’t expect to open more than 10." The inventory will be more "focused on fitness-oriented customers and less on participants in ball and bat sports" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/20).
