Lululemon Athletica to open in Shops at Tallgrass this summer

More than a year ago, Have You Heard? reported that the fact that Lululemon Athleticahad a couple of trunk shows here gave hope that Wichita would land one of the stores.

Now, it has, though it’s in the form of a showroom and not a traditional store.

The Vancouver-based chain of yoga apparel is taking 1,344 square feet at the Shops at Tallgrass near the northeast corner of 21st and Rock Road. It’ll be by Blue Balloon andPortrait Innovations.

“We’re coming soon,” says spokeswoman Helen McKeon. “We’re coming this summer.”

She can’t share an exact date yet, but McKeon says to keep an eye out for when Lululemon creates a Wichita Facebook page. It’ll have more details about the opening.

“We chose Wichita because we know there’s incredible things going on,” McKeon says. “It’s a healthy, vibrant city where we want to be a part of it.”

McKeon clarifies original comments she made to The Eagle to explain there’s a difference between a Lululemon store and showroom.

“Showrooms carry our key styles and are only open part of the week so that we can be out in the community,” she says. “A store has a wider range of product options and are open more hours during the week.”

She says the Lululemon showroom is part retail space with yoga mats and men’s and women’s apparel and part community hub where the Lululemon team is “sweating side by side” with other yoga-loving people.

McKeon says the showroom is meant to be a resource for people for “all kinds of different ways to connect with the community.”

“We’ll be looking for ways to elevate the community.”

Craig Simon of Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the deal.

McKeon says there are about 250 Lululemon stores worldwide.

“It’s an amazing moving target.”

It could one day include an official Wichita store, McKeon says.

“The Lululemon Athletica Wichta showroom will give us an opportunity to get to know the community at a deeper level and grow from there.”