Chinese sporting goods brand Li-Ning has launched its first standalone retail showrooms in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa, Canada.
The two Li-Ning showrooms are located in Burlington, Ontario near Toronto and inside Ottawa’s RA Centre, and features a collection of racket sports equipment, shoes, and apparel, as well as other specialty sporting goods.
Li-Ning products were previously available online in Canada and distributed through licensing agreement with the brand’s official partner and distributor, LN Distribution.
LN Distribution president Len Carter said: “We’ve been working with the Li-Ning headquarters in Beijing, China for about eight years and it has been an extremely positive experience.
“Li-Ning is a leader, as a company and brand, because the people are progressive and easy to work with and in the wake of global political divergences, we are merging cultures and countries through the cooperation of sport.”
Li-Ning selected Ottawa and Toronto for its showrooms because 30% of its Canadian Li-Ning business is concentrated in those cities and is also the official badminton equipment sponsor for the Canadian College Athletics Association and other provincial and college associations.
LN Distribution has a facility in Burlington, Ontario, which distributes sporting goods products for US and Canadian customers.
Carter also said that the company has plans to launch the brand’s showrooms in all of Canada’s major cities. Currently, works are underway for a national corporate store and franchise offering.