Nike May Give Local Stores a Run for their Money

Fathead CEO Patrick McInnis told a group of Michigan business leaders that a new Nike store may be headed Detroit's way in the not-too-distant future. Speaking before a group of nearly 500 at the Great Lakes Bay Regional Chamber Summit this week, McInnis mentioned Nike as one of the new or upcoming retailers hoping to leave their footprint on Detroit. After dropping the shoe company's name, McInnis quickly corrected course. "I'm not supposed to say that, I don't think," he said, to laughter from the crowd.

Fathead, which makes wall-sized vinyl decals, counts Quicken Loans' Dan Gilbert among its ownership group. Is Nike really coming? So far, the athletic shoe and apparel brand refuses to comment. Not to worry. For metro Detroiters in need of serious kicks, there's always the recently remodeled Bob's Classic Kicks, a homegrown retailer that offers a wide array of corporate sneakers as well as shoes by Detroit designers, not to mention the unique shopping experience of visiting a nicely remodeled classic Woodward Ave storefront.

·Detroit could add Nike store to high-end retail [mLive]
·Fathead [Fathead]
·Bob's Classic Kicks [Bob's Classic Kicks]