JD Sports to shut two shops this week as brand phases out of high street

JD Sports to shut two shops this week as brand phases out of high street The two brick-and-mortar Hip locations in Manchester and Leeds will shut but the brand will continue trading online - this after JD Sports closed 24 stores across the UK earlier this year Two stores owned by a popular sport-fashion retail chain are set to close on high streets this week. JD Sports is scrapping its Hip stores, with the two sites preparing to close for good. JD Sports acquired the Hip brand in 2014. The Manchester Hip branch on Thomas Street will close down on June 28 and the Leeds branch on Yorkshire city's Vicar Lane will follow suit at the end of the month, according to Drapers. Despite its departure from the high street, Hip is set to continue to trade online via its website. JD Sports was forced to closed 24 UK stores earlier this year due to financial uncertainty, but still operates 4,000 stores worldwide. JD Sports has decided to scale back the operation and will cut underperforming stores to place more focus on more popular locations. Last month, The Mirror reported that JD Sports will shut 175 Hibbett stores in the US in the following three years to focus on more profitable locations. The British retailer took on the Hibbett brand in 2024 for $1.1 billion as part of its expansion in the US. Over the past two years the sporting outlet has faced tough competition, including from Dick's Sporting Goods, which bought Foot Locker for $2.5 billion. The company has also recently reported a drop in annual earnings. The brand explained that it had concerns that tensions in the Middle East could mean higher costs and decreased customer interest. It said that there had been no "direct exposure" – just "heightened uncertainty". The business shared plans to cut down on bricks-and-mortar sites in order to have "fewer, bigger and better" shops. JD Sports told Manchester Evening News in May: "Over time, the potential future impacts of heightened uncertainty may contribute to direct cost pressures, including energy and fuel costs across our store and logistics networks, respectively, as well as potential indirect impacts on pricing and consumer demand should input cost inflation emerge." [Image text:] WOMENS JUNIORFOOTBALL LIFT MENS CLOTHING mikkefootball