Nike Eyeing Lower Mercer in SoHo?

Is Nike finally coming to SoHo? Crain's New York Business is reporting that the sneaker giant is about to sign a lease at 21 Mercer Street between Grand and Howard Streets. While their Niketown superstore on East 57th Street is a huge draw for tourists and locals alike, they have never taken advantage of the business potential downtown as their rivals Puma and Adidas have, except for their exclusive NIKEiD Studio appointment-only shop on Elizabeth Street. The Mercer Street location would be a surprising choice, as it appears to be nowhere near the size of their uptown showplace, and somewhat off the beaten track. In fact it would seem to have virtually no notable retail neighbors at all below the storefronts on Grand Street. We will be watching this block with interest, but it seems clear that SoHo's prime retail space, once thought to end above Broome Street, is now being aggressively developed right up to Canal Street.