Retail chain for Manchester United

Leicester consultancy Checkland Kindleysides has completed preliminary sketches for a new retail chain for client Manchester United, due to launch at Dublin Airport at the end of this month.

Manchester United International, the subsidiary company running the chain, plans to roll the concept out to around 150 sites in the UK, Scandinavia and the Far East over the next three years.

The shops will trade under the Manchester United name and crest. “The concept is intended to bring to life the personality of Manchester United and the experience of watching a game at Old Trafford.

It is not just about replicating the brand, but bringing the club to people’s lives in a real way,” says Checkland Kindleysides managing director Jeff Kindleysides.

Kindleysides says the concept incorporates the club’s trademark red-and-white hues and draws heavily on its heritage.

The outlets will be either concessions, standalones or mega stores. The megastores will also house the football club’s website, café and TV channel, MUTV.