Dick's Sporting Goods is launching a competitor to Lululemon

Dick's Sporting Goods just jumped into the competitive market of women's activewear in a very big way.

The sports retailer is launching a new lifestyle and fitness boutique called Chelsea Collective, according to a press release. 

The launch of this new store is Dick's Sporting Goods' latest attempt to compete with big players in the sports retail industry like Lululemon and Under Armour.

Dick's Sporting Goods named the new store after the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City. 

It will stock everything from apparel to footwear to accessories, "fusing fitness and fashion to serve women who are on the cutting edge of new trends and have a variety of fitness interests," according to the release.

Staple sportswear brands like Under Armour, Nike, Asics, and New Balance, and more specialized brands like Splendid, Birkenstock, Havaianas, and UGG Australia will be available at Chelsea Collective locations.

"We wanted to provide a destination for women who are on their own personal fitness journeys; a store where they can come in and feel part of a community that understands them and their needs," said Lauren Hobart, SVP, DICK'S Sporting Goods/General Manager, Chelsea Collective, in the release. 

Along with stocking a wide assortment of merchandise, the store also provides complimentary services like alterations, bra fittings, and gait analysis, according to Chelsea Collective.

"We truly want these stores to have their own voice, their own local flavor. We're hiring experts - associates who live for the latest fitness and fashion trends, who buy and use the products this store offers and who will be a sought after resource to the Chelsea Collective community," said Hobart.

The stores will operate as small boutique shops, although they are owned and operated by Dick's Sporting Goods, the company said in the release.

The first two stores will open next month in Virginia and Pittsburgh.