Leading global sports retailer Lids is expanding its international retail presence with the opening of five debut stores in Australia, and announcing additional stores to come; bringing a total of 10 branded Lids stores Down Under.

With a global cult following, selling more than 30 million caps per year, and offering the largest selection of exclusive sporting headwear and jerseys, Lids has just unveiled their newest store in Vicinity’s Emporium Melbourne, following the recent openings of Geelong, Victoria; Macquarie Park, New South Wales; and Westpoint Blacktown, New South Wales.

Neatly aligning with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series seasons, fresh new stores will include Westfield Parramatta, New South Wales; Northland Shopping Centre, Victoria; Westfield Kotara, New South Wales; and Woodgrove Shopping Centre, Victoria (2023), with an additional two new stores earmarked to open before the end of the year.

As a first of its kind to land on Australian soil, Lids will bring to Australia the largest selection of headwear and jerseys, exclusive to Lids. Setting the latest trends in streetwear and sportswear, the extensive and exclusive range features sporting fan favourites and teams and players across the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Football League (NFL) and National Hockey League (NHL).

Each store will mimic the immersive shopping experience of extensive licensed and branded merchandise Lids has long been known for. Featuring Lids’ signature Custom Zones, allowing consumers the opportunity to custom embroider a hat or apparel piece of their choice in-store, including from the retailer’s numerous options of player numbers and autographs.

“We’re excited to bring our brand and products to market,” said Britten Maughan, President of Lids. “Australians already love Lids, with a strong rapport of loyal customers with feedback of wanting Lids in Australia. Now we can offer Australian shoppers the opportunity to come in-store and experience the immersive Lids shopping experience that we’re renowned for.

To date, Lids operates nearly 1,200 stores throughout the US and Canada, including through its ongoing retail partnerships with Macy’s and designer brands. The Lids stores are coming to Australia as part of a recent international expansion to support its growing fanbase around the world in countries including the UK and Mexico. The expansion will see more than 100 Lids stores added outside North America.

Lids also operates the first NBA Store in Australia also located at the Emporium Melbourne in Victoria with the second NBA Store to open in Sydney, New South Wales, in the near future. Lids operates the NBA’s flagship stores in New York, London and Paris, as well as an upcoming store in Berlin. In addition to the newly opened NHL flagship store in New York City.