John Lewis Opens AI-Powered Sport & Wellness Dept at Oxford Street

John Lewis has opened its new AI-powered Sport & Wellness department at its Oxford Street flagship, marking what the retailer claims is a first for UK retail — a single destination combining sportswear, footwear, wearable technology, recovery products, AI fitness tools and expert in-store services. Liverpool follows on 19 August, Cheadle on 26 August, and a brand-new department opens in Glasgow in late September.

The launch is part of the retailer's wider £800 million transformation programme and represents a multimillion-pound investment specifically in its sports and wellness offer. It is, by John Lewis's own description, the most significant overhaul of its sports departments to date.

What the new departments actually look like

Each location spans approximately 5,000 square feet and has been redesigned from the ground up. Rather than grouping products by category in the traditional retail fashion, the floor is organised around what customers are actually trying to do — running, training, outdoor activity — with everything needed for a given goal in one zone.

Brands confirmed across the departments include Nike, Brooks and Patagonia for apparel; Garmin, Oura and Whoop for wearables; Therabody for recovery; and Peloton, NordicTrack and Speediance for home fitness equipment. The full range is also available at johnlewis.com and via the John Lewis app.

The AI fitness mirror and what it does

The most talked-about piece of kit on the floor is MagicAI's intelligent fitness mirror, which delivers personalised on-demand training, real-time rep counting and live form correction. John Lewis says this is the first time the technology will be available in stores outside London and the South East — meaning shoppers in Liverpool, Cheadle and Glasgow will be able to try it in person when their local departments open.

Free gait analysis — and why that matters

Free gait analysis is available at all four locations, offered at two levels. A self-service scanner provides quick recommendations for shoppers who want a fast steer on footwear, while a more in-depth treadmill-based assessment is available via Peloton Tread for those who want a thorough picture of how they run. Specially trained John Lewis Partners will then help customers select footwear based on their results.

Gait analysis has long been a selling point of independent running shops, but it has rarely been offered free of charge at a mainstream department store. Its inclusion here is one of the clearest signs that John Lewis is going after a more specialist customer.

Jog Lewis: the run clubs

Monthly 'Jog Lewis' run clubs will launch across all four locations. These are described as social-paced group runs that give participants the chance to test products in real conditions, access expert advice and connect with local running communities. It is an increasingly common tactic among sports retailers — and one that builds loyalty in a way that a loyalty card rarely does.

What the sales data says

John Lewis has backed the launch with its own internal figures, and they paint a clear picture of where demand is heading. Sales of fitness trackers are up nearly 30% year on year; connected home fitness equipment is up 27%; searches for Therabody massage guns have risen over 250%; and searches for red light therapy are up 380%. On footwear, searches for men's running trainers on johnlewis.com are up 280% year on year, while women's running trainer searches have doubled.

Searches for gym equipment are up 25% and hiking kit searches are up 34% — suggesting that the appetite extends well beyond the Hyrox and marathon-training crowd.

Why John Lewis is making this move now

Peter Ruis, Managing Director of John Lewis, was direct about the thinking behind the launch:

"Customers increasingly shop around a goal rather than a traditional retail category. Whether someone's training for their first marathon, taking up Hyrox or simply looking to live a healthier lifestyle, they want everything they need in one place. Our combination of leading brands, expert Partners, nationwide shops and strong digital offer means we're uniquely placed to support customers across every part of their fitness journey — from finding the right footwear and technical clothing to discovering the latest wearable technology, home fitness and recovery products."

Ruis also described the rollout as "another important step in our wider investment to create more inspiring, joined-up experiences for customers, however and wherever they choose to shop with us."

The broader context is hard to ignore. The wellness industry in the UK is forecast to grow to £141 billion by 2034, according to IMARC, at a rate of 3.6% annually. That is the market John Lewis is targeting — and the launch puts it in direct competition not just with Sports Direct on clothing and footwear, but with technology specialists on wearables and recovery kit.

What's next

With Oxford Street now open, attention turns to the Liverpool launch on 19 August and Cheadle on 26 August. The Glasgow opening — which creates an entirely new department rather than replacing an existing one — follows in late September. John Lewis has not confirmed exact opening dates beyond those already announced.

For shoppers who can't get to a store, the full Sport & Wellness range is available at johnlewis.com and through the John Lewis app.