East Memphis sneaker fans are getting a new place to hunt for fresh kicks. JD Sports, the U.K.-based sneaker and sportswear chain, plans to open a new store at Eastgate Shopping Center by the end of 2026, taking roughly 8,000 square feet inside a larger vacant unit at the power center. The move adds another national apparel name to the Park Avenue and White Station corridor and is being watched as a sign of rising leasing activity that could shift how shoppers move through Eastgate.
As reported by Daily Memphian, JD Sports, which is based in England, will fill about 8,000 square feet of a 25,000-square-foot vacancy at Eastgate, with an opening expected by year-end. The March 2, 2026, report was the first to detail the deal.
A commercial listing for the property shows a 25,000-square-foot in-line space still on the market and lays out Eastgate’s anchors and inline tenants, including The Fresh Market, Burlington and TJ Maxx. That listing also highlights multiple in-line and outparcel availabilities and describes Eastgate as a large power center with a broad mix of national chains. See LoopNet for space details.
About JD Sports
JD Sports is a multinational retailer focused on footwear and athleisure, stocking big-name brands such as Nike, adidas and New Balance alongside in-house labels like Supply & Demand, as noted by Simon. The company is not new to the Memphis market. Its JD Sports store locator lists a Wolfchase Galleria location, suggesting the retailer sees enough local demand to justify a second outpost.
Why Eastgate
Eastgate sits on a heavily traveled retail corridor and has long been a magnet for national chains. A 2023 sale and property note from JLL Capital Markets detailed the center’s overall size, tenant mix and proximity to affluent East Memphis neighborhoods. Those ingredients, including a steady daytime population and an established anchor lineup, help explain why a specialty footwear and streetwear retailer would zero in on an in-line space at Eastgate…