Alpen Flagship Store Opens in Osaka

Major sporting goods retailer Alpen is opening Alpen OSAKA, a massive sports and lifestyle store, in Osaka's Chayamachi district. The six-floor flagship store, located in the former Uniqlo site, houses products ranging from running shoes and golf equipment to hands-on product testing. The store features a running shoe section near the entrance on the first floor, which caters to sports products with strong everyday demand due to heavy pedestrian traffic.

The basement floors include a substantial golf section with approximately 5,000 used clubs, including luxury equipment priced at 22 million yen. Alpen emphasizes the store's focus on allowing customers to experience products rather than relying solely on conventional displays. The opening coincides with Chayamachi's recent retail changes and the district's role in Osaka's fashion and cultural scene.

Alpen aims to establish a new destination in Chayamachi centered around sports and health, leveraging the area's identity. Meanwhile, Typhoon No. 18 is expected to pass near the Daito Islands before moving closer to Okinawa's main island, bringing violent winds, heavy rain, and dangerous waves to southwestern Japan.