BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Melbourne-based cycling apparel brand MAAP has opened its latest LaB retail concept store in Berlin, Germany.
The second European store and sixth worldwide marks the continuation of MAAP’s global focus on community, growth and retail footprint expansion.
The new store is said to embody the brand’s “commitment to design and performance along with a deep passion for a Life around Bikes (LaB), emphasising real-world connections within local communities that spur on creative expressions on and off the bike”.
MAAP’s LaB or ‘Life around Bikes’ concept aims to redefine the retail experience by creating spaces that mirror the essence of their local environment, fostering community engagement and meaningful connections.
Here, MAAP co-founder Oliver Cousins comments: “The LaB concept is all about building real-life connections with the cycling and creative communities in a way that reflects each location’s local identity. In a city like Berlin with such abundant creativity, we know that those connections are going to foster some incredible results.”
Like other LaB’s around the world, the Berlin store is uniquely tailored to its surroundings while sharing a consistent design language that makes it instantly recognisable as a beacon of the MAAP brand.
The Berlin LaB is a dynamic communal space for cyclists, celebrating the culture, art and innovation of the sport of cycling. A hub for everything from events and group rides to in-store activations and exclusive kit drops, all thoughtfully curated to reflect the culture and vibrancy of the local Berlin cycling community.
MAAP LaB origins
The flagship MAAP LaB opened in Melbourne in 2022, with the concept arriving in Europe in Amsterdam earlier in 2024. Since then three more stores have been opened in the APAC region, firstly Seoul, then Singapore and Hong Kong, with Taipei opening its doors before the end of the year.
With its Berlin store, MAAP is “reaffirming its commitment to the European market, challenging industry trends that have seen brands move away from the high street to focus efforts online”.
For MAAP, physical retail expansion presents the opportunity to connect with riders and communities in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible in the digital age.
Speaking about bringing the MAAP LaB concept to Berlin, Cousins said: “Berlin is a city renowned for its thriving creative communities and increasingly as a city with a rich cycling culture, so when we were looking for our second European location it was top of our list”
“Acting as a hub for group rides, events and collaborations with local brands, we’re aiming for our Berlin LaB to become a key reference point in the city’s cycling and creative stories.”
