ASICS (ASICS America Corporation)

ASICS America Corporation is the North American arm of ASICS Corporation, the Japanese athletic footwear and apparel company best known for its performance running shoes, court footwear, and technical sportswear. In the United States and Canada, ASICS America manages wholesale, retail, and ecommerce for the ASICS and Onitsuka Tiger brands, supplying specialty run shops, major sporting goods chains, and a growing network of branded and outlet stores.

The company’s roots go back to 1949, when Kihachiro Onitsuka founded Onitsuka Co., Ltd. in Kobe, Japan, initially focused on basketball shoes before moving into running and other sports. Over time the business adopted the name ASICS, drawn from the Latin phrase “Anima Sana In Corpore Sano,” meaning “a sound mind in a sound body.” That idea still guides how the company designs and positions its product line. ASICS later established its North American headquarters in Irvine, California, where ASICS America oversees regional brand strategy, marketing, and distribution.

As part of a larger global organization with several billion dollars in annual revenue and thousands of employees worldwide, ASICS America operates within a structured, multi-channel model. A regional CEO for the Americas links North American initiatives to global product, merchandising, and digital plans, while the U.S. and Canadian business combines direct-to-consumer ecommerce, company-operated stores, and extensive wholesale partnerships with national and regional retailers.

As of December 2024, ASICS operates roughly 60 branded and outlet locations across major U.S. markets, with additional presence in select Canadian urban centers. These stores are typically found in high-traffic outlet centers, regional malls, and active urban shopping corridors, and they sit alongside a wide base of third-party retail partners. Full-price locations tend to emphasize fit, gait, and technical performance storytelling, while outlet stores focus on value and seasonal assortments. ASICS America also supports branded shop-in-shop presentations within key wholesale accounts, which extends the brand’s visibility in established centers.

Over the past five years, ASICS America has steadily refreshed and selectively expanded its brick-and-mortar footprint as part of a broader omni-channel strategy. New-store and store-leadership job postings in key U.S. markets highlight a cautious but ongoing physical growth posture. The brand has leaned into markets with strong running communities, major metropolitan areas, tourist-driven outlet centers, and performance-oriented consumer clusters, while using ecommerce data and run specialty relationships to inform where and how it opens new locations.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, ASICS America brings a globally recognized, performance-focused athletic brand with a track record of disciplined site selection in dense and destination-oriented retail environments. Its mix of full-price and outlet formats, along with its integration of digital and wholesale channels, supports traffic generation and repeat visits in regional malls, outlet centers, and prominent urban retail corridors.