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There is only one Bettysport!
~Bettysport closes its store at The Domain~
June 29, 2009 - Bettysport, the local favorite for women's fitness apparel in Austin has closed its location at the Domain after just over two years of operation.
Bettysport Downtown, the original Bettysport store, which opened in 2004, will remain open.
The store at The Domain struggled since its opening in March 2007. The lack of traffic and high rents at the Domain challenged the store from the beginning. The nose dive in the economy in the fourth quarter of 2008 was too much to sustain. One of the market segments hit hardest has been “soft goods” – Bettyport was no exception, seeing sales off as much as 45% since last October. The company tried everything to stay open cutting staff and hours, as well as negotiating with the landlord to defer rent costs.
Bettysport was one of a handful of local retailers that opened locations in The Domain, with the promise of being in “Austin’s second Downtown”. Traffic there, has never met expectations, and nearly all of the retailers there have suffered lower than expected sales.
The Domain, operated by Simon Properties, faces its own challenges as it has been slow to complete its second retail phase, and has failed to lease all the spaces in its first phase. The center also suffered a black eye from the Stop Domain Subsidies campaign against the tax incentives it received. While Bettysport Partners LLC benefitted from City of Austin tax incentives to open– it was more than repaid back in rental rates close to double the market rate in other parts of Austin.
Bettysport’s original location was opened in 2004 at 12th and Lamar and quickly found success operating in a space between technical stores such as running or cycling shops and big box sporting goods stores. It remains a unique retail boutique, being locally owned and representing more than 40 brands such as Nike, Asics, Patagonia swimwear and Stella McCartney for adidas. It now has competition from national chains Lululemon and Title Nine, both of which sell mostly their own proprietary brands. Despite the many challenges, we are optimistic that the store will survive, to remain part of Austin’s retail landscape.
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