We are
Organization: APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs)
Date Opened: November 2023
Address: 75 Prince Street
Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 7:00 p.m; Sunday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
In November, APL opened its doors on Prince Street between Broadway and Crosby Streets. We are thrilled to welcome them to the SoHo Broadway corridor and wish them success in our district. We had the opportunity to chat with Managing Partner NJ Falk to learn more about what makes their business unique.
What does your organization do? What industry are you in?
APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs) is globally recognized as the world leader in Men’s and Women’s luxury performance footwear. Rooted in technology and innovation, APL has been at the forefront of performance footwear since the introduction of the Concept 1 basketball shoe featuring our groundbreaking Load N’ Launch® technology, designed to instantly increase vertical leap. As a result, the Concept 1 became the first shoe banned by the NBA for performance enhancement reasons. Beginning in June 2014, APL pioneered the “luxury performance” segment of the athletic footwear market in connection with the launch of its running, training and lifestyle shoe collections for men and women.
What brought your organization to SoHo?
The store’s almost 4,000-square-foot SoHo location is part of a highly foot-trafficked and iconic destination in New York City with both a local and international foothold. The property is designed to serve as an oasis within in a hectic part of the city, as part of the neighborhood’s inclusive running and lifestyle community.
What sets your organization apart from the rest?
As the pioneer and innovator of the “luxury performance” segment in men’s and women’s athletic footwear, The World of APL Flagship store located in the heart of SoHo takes inspiration from minimalist spaces that exude a sense of tranquility, the design creates a simple yet severe space that uses light and scale to draw the eye in. The highly unique arching curved perimeter wall wraps around a clean central area broken only by the teardrop columns that reach up to a full light ceiling. The stretched-fabric illuminated ceiling fills the store with an omnipresent wash of light, highlighting the rough textured walls juxtaposed against delicately held champagne-colored display boxes. Product is showcased in custom designed Viabuzzuno® lightboxes to offer consumers a gallery-like experience while browsing for one’s next pair of APLs.
The amphitheater-shaped retail space is anchored by a roman travertine base which runs throughout, forming areas of seating, low walls and point of sale desks. Scattered throughout the open store are cast boulder-shaped plinths, with flattened tops to highlight the shoes placed atop them, illuminated from above to create a sense of ceremony. At the rear of the store the set-piece of the store is formed from 5 vanity rooms all lined in vibrantly distinct onyx stones, where customers can try on their favorite styles and photograph them for the ultimate Instagram moment. Everything within the space is both purposeful and beautiful whilst ensuring the product remains the hero of the customer experience.
Drawing from our rich basketball heritage, we’ve incorporated unique stadium seating into the design. This area not only offers a comfortable space for guests, but also serves as a testament to the arenas where legends are born, celebrating our deep connection to the sport.
The flagship’s lighting is more than just illumination—it’s a mood setter. As you step into our world, a soft halo above bathes the space in a gentle glow, casting a sense of wonder and enchantment on every person and product it graces.
Echoing New York’s multifaceted personality, we’ve curated five vanity rooms, each a tribute to one of the city’s iconic boroughs. Housed in the deepest recesses of our flagship, these rooms showcase rare stones from across the globe, representing the diverse tapestry of New York’s boroughs.
With an expansive 80-foot window frontage, a curvilinear design, the world’s most exquisite natural stones, and our homage to basketball through the stadium seating, this space blurs the lines between dream and reality. The World of APL SoHo flagship stands as a testament to dreams materialized, where fantasy and reality intertwine seamlessly.
Is there a promotion that you would like to offer readers or members of the SoHo Broadway community?
Enjoy a 10% off your purchase when you sign up for our email or SMS messages in-store + FREE $60 LUX SOCK 3-PACK with purchase while supplies last.
The images in this post were provided to us by APL.
