Kizik, known for its hands-free shoe innovation, is opening its first-ever brick-and-mortar store. Located at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray, UT, near Salt Lake City, the retail store will be “the first of many for Kizik,” according to the brand, which says it experienced more than 250% growth last year and exceeded nine figures in sales. The Kizik store opens on May 19.

Grassroots Connect, the twice-annual buying show of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, will hold its SS23 event next month in Knoxville, TN, with the group expecting more than 400 retail buyers from 206 retail doors, as well as 215 outdoor brands in attendance, the largest collection of vendors ever gathered by the group. The breadth of attendance is accompanied by broadly positive sales among Grassroots’ 100 member retailers – which recently reported sales increases of more than 4% in the last 12-month period. Grassroots Connect takes place June 12-15 at the Knoxville Convention Center.

Mizuno’s annual footwear sales rose by 34.9 percent in Japanese yen in the company’s most recent FY ended March 31 to the equivalent of $468.2 million. Brand running sales increased by 23.9 percent to the equivalent of $183.0 million. Brand sales in the Americas improved by 31.5 percent year-over-year to the equivalent of $228.6 million fueled by golf and team sports as the region’s operating profit increased by nearly 40 percent in Japanese yen to the equivalent of $44.1 million. The company has a mid-term growth plan for the next three years that will focus on the development of new products and services in running and soccer in markets outside of Japan.