Gap Inc.'s Athleta brand opens first franchise store in Costa Rica

Today, the Athleta de Gap Inc. brand announced the opening of its first franchise store, located in San José, Costa Rica. Operated by AR Holdings, this is the first physical store to open the brand outside of North America, where it currently owns and operates stores in the United States and Canada. AR Holdings will also include Athleta in the Line Up Rewards multi-brand loyalty program, and will integrate the brand into the online store www.lineuprewards.com where garments from other brands that AR Holdings represents in the country are also sold. With this, Athleta's variety of sustainable, inclusive and versatile products will be available to all Costa Ricans during early 2022.

“International expansion is a key part of Athleta's growth strategy and there is a lot of potential in growing this incredible, relevant and purpose-driven brand in Latin America. We are excited to expand our community of confident and empowered women in Costa Rica, bringing them a variety of active performance and lifestyle products, apparel that our Athleta store customers in North America love, ”said Alyson Bloomer, VP of Product and Franchise Operations, Strategic Alliances and Licenses for Gap Inc.

The store will offer a versatile mix of lifestyle and performance apparel, as well as products for daily activities, including studio workouts, functional training, adventure travel and everyday wear. With clothing designed to accompany women's daily lives, from low- and high-impact workouts to daily commutes between work and home, the products offered by the brand allow women to quickly switch from one activity to the next. , for example from work to your training and then to the weekend.

"We are very pleased to be part of Athleta's expansion and honored that the brand has chosen Costa Rica to launch, together with AR Holdings, its first physical store operated as a franchise outside the United States," said Antonio Burgos, Director of AR Holdings. With the brand's mission in mind, to focus on its customers, AR Holdings will lead events and activities organized for women within its community, both inside and outside the store, in order to foster engagement and connection between the women of your community. The store will open in Costa Rica on Saturday, September 18 at the Avenida Escazú shopping center in San José.