Global sports retailer, Lids is expanding its presence into Australia with plans to open five stores in Victoria and New South Wales throughout August and September.

Lids specialises in officially licenced and branded headwear with an extensive and exclusive range of sporting caps, jerseys and apparel. Designs feature teams and players from the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Hockey League (NHL), as well as items from brands including Nike, Adidas, New Era Cap, ‘47, Mitchell & Ness, Hurley, Oakley, Local Crowns, and more.

Lids will bring the largest selection of exclusive headwear and jerseys to Australia with stores opening at key locations in Westfield Geelong (VIC), Macquarie Centre (NSW), Westpoint Blacktown (NSW), Emporium Melbourne (VIC) and Westfield Parramatta (NSW).

The retailer has already made additional plans to open several more Australian stores in key metropolitan locations before the end of the year.

Each store will mimic the immersive shopping experience of extensive licensed and branded merchandise Lids has long been known for. Featuring signature Custom Zones, providing customers with the opportunity to custom embroider a hat or apparel piece of their choice in-store, including from the retailer’s numerous options of player numbers and autographs.

“Australians already love Lids, with a strong rapport of loyal customers with feedback of wanting Lids in Australia. Now we can offer Australian shoppers the opportunity to come in store and experience the immersive Lids shopping experience that we’re renowned for. We’re excited to bring our brand and products to market,” Lids president, Britten Maughan said.

The Lids stores are coming to Australia as part of a recent international expansion to support its growing fanbase around the world in countries including the UK and Mexico. The expansion will see more than 100 Lids stores added outside North America.

To date, Lids operates nearly 1,200 stores throughout the US and Canada, including through ongoing retail partnerships with Macy’s and Designer Brands. Lids also operates the newly opened National Hockey League (NHL) flagship store in New York City as well as the National Basketball Association (NBA) flagship stores in New York City, London, Paris and Melbourne.