Gold Coast’s Culture Kings opens its maiden US store in Las Vegas

Tahnee and Simon Beard opened their first shop on the Gold Coast 14 years ago — now they’ve hit the bright lights of Las Vegas.

The new Culture Kings store in Las Vegas features a 75-foot hat wall and a ‘secret room’ featuring the most sought-after items on the streetwear market.

Australian streetwear chain Culture Kings founded by Gold Coast couple Simon and Tahnee Beard has opened its maiden store in the US among the bright lights of the Las Vegas casino strip.

Already hugely popular in the US despite it not having a physical presence, Culture Kings has opened its doors at The Forum Shops at the Caesars Palace.

Culture Kings Las Vegas includes a recording studio for musical artists, a 75-foot hat wall, live DJs performing daily, a “secret room” featuring the most sought-after items, and in-store activations including Holy Grail arcades and a half basketball court Sharp Shooter challenge.

The store is also stocked with more than 18 international brands exclusively designed by Culture Kings, including Carre, GOAT Crew, Saint Morta, and styles from 60 leading third parties.

“It has always been my vision to launch stores in the US, and there is no better city than Las Vegas,” said Culture Kings co-chief executive Simon Beard.

“The Culture Kings Las Vegas flagship store captures our signature ‘retailtainment’ ethos and enables us to share the ultimate Culture Kings brand experience with our American audience.

“I’m confident that this one-of-a-kind retail concept will drive growth in-store and online and will accelerate our brand awareness in the US.”

The Beards founded Culture Kings in 2008 after an early dip into fashion when they developed “schoolies’ slippers” – hotel slippers embroidered with the tag Skoolies for school leavers partying on the Gold Coast.

The couple sold a majority stake in the Culture Kings chain in 2021 to US company a.k.a Brands that valued the sneakers store at $600m, and which catapulted the founders into Australia’s richest ranks. It was a hefty sale price given Culture Kings at that time only had eight stores. But such is the power of the on-trend retail brand that when a new store recently opened in New Zealand, there was a six-hour line to get in.

Jill Ramsey, chief executive of a.k.a Brands, says Culture Kings is the “future of retail”.

“These highly experiential and innovative stores are like no other and setting new standard for the future of retail,” she told investors last year. “Their stores serve as powerful marketing engines with the theatrical and celebrity event format that fuel demand and provide powerful content for their digital channels.”

Ms Ramsey described the Las Vegas opening as a “pivotal moment” for Culture Kings.

“Consumers are interacting with brands on a different level, and Culture Kings is transforming traditional retail into an unforgettable, immersive experience that can’t be replicated. I’m excited to watch the brand take off in the US and globally,” she said.

The Culture Kings opening party was followed by an invitation-only afterparty sponsored by champagne house Moet Hennessy and featuring a performance by DJ Drama.