Quebec-based SAIL Plein Air inc. is launching the province's largest sports superstores, called Sportium. Each location is over 70,000 square feet in size over two levels.

Both locations open today -- one in Saint-Hubert, just south of Montreal, and the other in suburban Quebec City. Both stores are two levels, with their main floors being dedicated to clothing and training accessories geared to running, yoga, and tennis, as well as casual wear collections, including a wall of shoes with over 700 models. Second levels in each store feature gear for team sports such as hockey, soccer, football, basketball, and volleyball. Sportium says that its athletic shoe selection is the widest in the province of Quebec.

Stores have a 'modern and urban feel' according to Sportium, featuring concrete walls and white lacquer displays. The store entrance faces a wall of 16 screens depicting promotional videos, interviews with athletes, and various sporting events.

Parent company SAIL Plein Air Inc. was founded more than 40 years ago in Quebec, and it currently operates 10 stores in Ontario and Quebec. It is considered to be Eastern Canada's largest network of outdoor, camping, hunting and fishing stores, featuring 20-50 fully assembled models of tents (depending on the season), 40 models of boats (kayaks, canoes), 3500 pairs of snowshoes, 1550 models of fishing rods, 500 models of boots and footwear -- over 500,000 items in each of its stores.

Iconic Canadian sports retailer Sport Chek is also opening similarly large stores, with a heavier focus on in-store digital technology. Sport Chek parent company FGL Sports is expanding its Sports Experts flagship concept in Quebec as well.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: November 25, 2015