Retail

Metro Brands opens first New Era store in Lucknow

406-sq-ft Phoenix Palassio outlet with embroidery lab brings licensed caps to tier-I fashion.

Meera Iyer, Retail correspondent·9 September 2026·4 min read

Compact mall store interior with cap displays and embroidery machine under bright lights

Metro Brands has launched the first standalone New Era store in India at Phoenix Palassio mall in Lucknow. The 406-sq-ft flagship stocks MLB, NBA and NFL licensed headwear plus women’s and kids lines, complete with an on-site embroidery customisation lab.

The Lucknow store opened on 8 September 2026 as New Era’s India debut under Metro Brands. It positions headwear as fashion rather than pure sports accessory and lets shoppers personalise caps on the spot.

A rider or mall walker who walks out with a custom-stitched cap creates higher average ticket and repeat visits than a standard accessory counter. Kirana-style multi-brand sports shops nearby lose the exclusive licensed edge and the experiential draw.

The elegant 406-sq-ft store is designed to be a prime destination where global sports heritage meets contemporary urban style.

The move helps Metro Brands extend its footwear and accessories network into lifestyle categories while giving global sports IP a physical Indian home. It pressures pure online cap sellers on authenticity and try-before-buy.

Watch national rollout plans and festive customisation volumes. Further city openings before Diwali would show whether the lab format scales beyond Lucknow.

Filed under Retail·Meera Iyer

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