DECATHLON, one of the biggest sport brand in the world, was not created by chance.
It is the culmination of a vision, that of Michel Leclercq, who was able to spot the potential of a booming market and turn it into a unique success story.
DECATHLON is more than just a brand name. It's a real story, a human adventure that began in 1976.
Michel Leclercq's idea was to sell equipment for several sports rather than just one, so that everyone could choose their sport. With a philosophy that emphasised the quality of first price products and the accessible price of the top-of-the-range product, Leclercq had a very effective sense of business.
His other key aim is to be useful for people through sport.
"Treat your customer as if they were your best friend."
"The goal of the day is not to have made the biggest turnover, but to see our customers coming back in six months, in a year."
"It's forbidden to cheat a customer at DECATHLON."
Since 1976, DECATHLON has been driven by a single mission: to make sport accessible to all. This mission, more than just a slogan, is the very DNA of the company, guiding its choices and inspiring its actions on a daily basis.
From product innovation to international expansion, DECATHLON has marked its history with milestones that have shaped the world of sport.
The adventure began in the parking lot of the Auchan shopping center in Englos, a town about twenty kilometers from Lille (North of France). Seven entrepreneurs were enthusiastic about Michel Leclercq's vision: Benoît, Didier, Hervé, Nicolas, Stanislas and Stéphane, all united by a shared passion for sport and contagious enthusiasm.
A small start-up was born, far from suspecting that it would soon conquer the whole world. After seducing French sportsmen and sportswomen, it's about to take the world by storm, but the gang of seven aren't quite aware of it yet.
More than just a brand, DECATHLON has had strong values from the beginning.