Foot Locker is closing its Atmos stores in North America, which include locations in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Atmos will also no longer operate a website in the U.S.
“The Atmos brand has a unique and authentic identity, character and spirit. Given the strength of Atmos in Japan and Asia, we are focused on further investing in this market,” Senior Vice President and General Manager of Atmos Patrick Walsh said in a statement. “In line with this focus and our plans for simplification, we have made the strategic decision to close our three Atmos stores in North America and our Atmos U.S. website. We are confident that this is the right move for Atmos and remain committed to serving sneaker culture.”
The decision to shut down Atmos’ North America business comes after Foot Locker backed away from a planned expansion into Japan last year, thanks to the strength of the Atmos banner in that region.
Foot Locker acquired Atmos, known for streetwear, in 2021 for $360 million in cash. At the time of the acquisition, executives touted Atmos’ connection to the sneaker community, with former CEO Dick Johnson saying Atmos founder Hidefumi Hommyo was “one of the most influential people in streetwear and sneaker culture.”
Atmos earlier this year partnered with New Balance on a store experience at its Georgetown location in D.C. and touted months of programming to come. The retailer said at the time that its U.S. stores frequently host activations and events, such as panel discussions and collector’s club meetups.
Foot Locker has had a tough year so far, announcing plans to close 400 stores by 2026, cutting jobs, winding down banners and posting consistent sales declines. Overall sales tumbled 10% in Q2, while sales at Atmos were also down 10%. The Japanese sneaker banner’s sales were down 7% year to date, as of July 29.