Trial gear and showers for runners at Tokyo Adidas store

First we saw Gap partner with fitness chain Crunch to turn its rotating New York City concept store into a workout haven for a month. Now, sports brand Adidas is pushing the idea even further in Tokyo with a permanent store that doubles as an urban running club. Located near the Imperial Palace—an area that’s already popular among the city’s runners—the Adidas Runbase store is a far cry from your average sporting goods purveyor. Included in the brand-new space are 16 shower cubicles and 248 lockers for rent, for example. Also available are a broad array of cutting-edge Adidas shoes and clothing available for the borrowing, according to Weekender Japan. Expert staff are on hand to offer tips and recommendations, so runners could presumably try a different combination of goods each time they run, giving them the ultimate in try-before-you-buy purchasing confidence. While we’re not too sure about the advisability of tryvertising when it comes to sneakers—the potential for health issues seems to loom large—the Runbase’s real strength is surely its brand butler role. Imagine a brand that offers expert tips and product advice as well as enabling your fitness regime with a conveniently located locker room. Now take that thought and adapt it to your own helpful brand! 😉 Spotted by: Weekender Japan via Dan Calladine