By Michael Tanenbaum

Copyright phillyvoice

Nike’s new World of Flight store in Rittenhouse, the first Jordan Brand sneaker and apparel shop in the U.S., will open with a block party at 4 p.m. Oct. 10.

After more than a year of planning, the store at 1617 Walnut St. has “coming soon” signs posted in the windows and an illuminated display outside the door featuring Jordan’s iconic Jumpman logo next to the city’s geographic coordinates.

MORE: Former ‘Real Housewives’ star Yolanda Hadid puts Bucks County farm on market for $10.9 million

Philadelphia joins Milan, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing and Mexico City as the only places in the world with Jordan Brand stores, which are designed to spotlight MJ’s Chicago Bulls reign and his decadeslong legacy as a footwear pioneer with Nike.

World of Flight stores carry sneakers and apparel for men, women and children. They often stock collector’s items and have customization workshops where shoppers can add footwear embellishments and other personalized touches to their apparel. Nike said the store in Philly will host “high-heat product drops” and a range of community events.

“We are looking to serve a community that’s rich in culture and also drives one of the largest basketball demand markets in the U.S.,” Jeremy Bolds, Jordan Brand’s general manager in North America, said in a statement. “We will meet and exceed their needs, not only with an incredible Jordan Brand retail experience but also by expanding out with programming — elevating local athletes, artists, creators and fans.”

Philly is a fitting choice for the brand’s first U.S. shop for several reasons.

Jordan played his final NBA game — as a member of the Washington Wizards — on the road against the Sixers in 2003. Larry Miller, a Nike executive and former team president for the Portland Trailblazers, was born and raised in Philadelphia. And of course, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has emerged as the Jordan Brand’s most visible ambassador since being named Super Bowl MVP in February for guiding the Birds to their second championship.

“I think it is amazing that Jordan Brand chose Philadelphia for its first World of Flight store in the U.S. — it is a city that has shown me so much love and deserves the best,” Hurts said in a statement.

Hurts signed an endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand two summers ago and has since starred in commercials, donned a catalog of Nike cleats and channeled Jordan’s aura down to the celebratory cigar-smoking and casual shrugs after big plays. The “Love, Hurts” tagline that debuted during the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade is now a signature on Jordan Brand hoodies.

Last month, Jordan made the trip to Philly to attend the Eagles’ season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Hurts sported a pair of leather Air Jordan 11 cleats in an exclusive colorway.

“We had to handle business with my boy coming to town,” Hurts said on the field at the Linc after the Eagles win.

In Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hurts wore a custom pair of cleats with the Philly slang “Jawn Air” on the tongue. He also appears in another commercial that dropped this week for the new Jordan Trunner O/S sneakers.

Nike and Jordan partnered to create the first Air Jordan sneakers in 1984, marking a new era for superstar athletes as drivers of product marketing. The Jordan Brand spun off in 1997 with an exclusive line of Jordan products that are now repped by athletes across sports.

The Jordan Brand’s NBA roster includes 76ers guard Jared McCain along with superstars Jayson Tatum and Luka Dončić, among others. In the NFL, the Jordan Brand also has endorsement deals with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Rams wide receivers Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, and Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Nike said the World of Flight store in Philadelphia will be the first of several planned in the U.S.

The two-story shop on Walnut Street had been vacant for the last five years. Most recently, it was an outlet for British clothing brand Jack Wills. Nike had sought to make more flashy renovations to the Beaux Arts building, but its initial plans were scaled back by the Philadelphia Historical Commission to preserve the property’s architectural features. An understated Jumpman logo sits atop the building’s bay of French windows.

The Jordan Brand hopes the store in Philly will build on Jordan’s relationship with the city, where his Wings Initiative named its first youth scholars in 2015. The global program supports young people in their pursuit of creative skills and entrepreneurship. The brand also works with the Jalen Hurts Foundation, whose work supports Philadelphia schools and students.

“As Jordan Brand enters its next era of greatness, we do so with an eye for furthering our connection to our community,” Jordan Brand President Sarah Mensah said. “World of Flight is a direct portal to our brand and represents the pinnacle of basketball culture.”

World of Flight will add to a growing corridor of footwear and sports-themed apparel shops along Walnut Street. New Balance has a flagship store that opened a decade ago, Bullseye Sneaker Boutique opened a shop this spring and Mitchell & Ness will soon move two blocks to a much larger space in the former Brooks Brothers store at 1513 Walnut St.