G+G Enters Olympic Retailing Movement

NEW YORK Graj + Gustavsen is handling brand and product development, licensing and retail design for The Olympic Shop, a chain of retail locations created by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The strategy involves expanding beyond the five prototype shops now open, which will be retrofit to the new concept, to 50 locations by 2009. Three stores are located at Olympic training centers; one is at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.

G+G, which has taken an equity position in the venture, will develop an aspirational brand spirit for the stores capitalizing on the authenticity and heritage of sports, said David Ferguson, managing partner at the New York agency.