Gymshark has unveiled its plans to open a flagship retail store in Dubai. Founder Ben Francis recently visited the so-called Gulf Tiger to check out potential locations for Gymshark’s first hub in the Middle East.
Francis met with potential partners at several spots, including the city’s Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates.
The Brit also explored the possibility of opening a pop-up events space at the stunning Jumeirah Beach, a popular spot among residents and tourists.
Gymshark kickstarted its long-awaited expansion into the Middle East by launching an online store dedicated to serving the UAE, alongside a bespoke collection designed for the region’s gym-goers.
During his whistle-stop stay, Francis took the chance to visit a number of Dubai’s best gyms, including the renowned Binous Gym, home to the city’s most expensive personal trainer, Anis Binous, and TKMMA Fit Gym.
The latter is fast becoming one of the most popular training destinations for some of the biggest stars in combat sports, with big names like Floyd Mayweather, Khabib, and Georges St-Pierre among its regulars.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Francis said: “We’ve been to two gyms and I still haven’t seen any Gymshark, which is both good and bad in the sense that you’d like to see more here, but it shows this is a massive opportunity for Gymshark to expand into the Dubai area.”
Clearly impressed by the city’s offerings, the 31-year-old wrapped up the first day of his trip by paying homage to Dubai’s fitness scene.
“It was a great day, the gyms were amazing,” he added. “I was genuinely really impressed by the quality and the investment here – fitness is clearly incredibly important to people in Dubai.
“There are so many different fitness disciplines, but the quality of the mixed martial arts equipment and setup out here is the best I’ve ever seen. It just feels like a place that’s on the up.”
Gymshark Dubai: Dates and Deets
No official announcement has been made as to when we can expect to see Gymshark open its first-ever Dubai store. However, Francis left the city with a spring in his step after a string of incredibly positive meetings.
“We were in Dubai for 36 hours all in. It has been a very quick trip, a very tiring trip, but a very productive trip. I’m leaving really happy, enthusiastic, excited, and ready to bring Gymshark to the Middle East.”
Gymshark is midway through its month of celebrations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The fitness titan has taken over all the GymNation gyms in the region to welcome residents into the Gymshark family.
As part of the festivities, the brand is handing out plenty of freebies and hosting several public events, including BLITZ, Beach Yoga, HIIT, and Gymshark Run Clubs.
