Aaron Levant has always tried to figure out a way to stay ahead of the game.
Now chief executive officer of Complex, the entrepreneur started out as a streetwear designer, cofounded The Ntwrk marketing and social media agency and created the Agenda trade show, a pioneer in the street and action sports industries during the height of those industries in the early 2000s, when he was just 19.
Together with another streetwear legend, Marc Ecko, they created ComplexCon in 2016, a consumer festival that celebrates pop culture, music, art and style. Last year the event drew over 60,000 people to Las Vegas over a weekend where over 300 brands participated and attendees spent more than $20 million.
Last year, Ntwrk, which had morphed into a livestream shopping platform, acquired Complex Networks and Levant took the helm. Since then he’s used his experience in culture and business to continue to expand the Complex universe.
About 18 months ago, Complex opened its first flagship on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, and now, the company is opening its second store in New York’s SoHo.
But Levant said he doesn’t view these as traditional retail stores. Rather, they’re “concept retail spaces. We’re not open five or seven days a week,” he said. Instead, the stores open for a limited time, offering exclusive merchandise from celebrities and brands popular with young consumers including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, Sabrina Carpenter, Karol G, Reneé Rapp, and the viral Murakami x Dodgers collection.
“It’s been very successful,” Levant said of the L.A. store, which has drawn more than 200,000 people since opening. “The AOV [average order value] is really high on a square foot basis.” In total, since its opening in May 2024, Complex LA has generated more than $4 million in sales.
“They’re like micro ComplexCons,” Levant explained of the concept. “They’re open two to four days at a time, then they close and reopen with a new concept. They’re all event-based and the merchandise is all exclusive.”
In a way, the stores can be viewed as permanent pop-ups, a popular retail concept that emerged around a decade ago. But because the space is always available, Levant said the talent can help create a “canvas” for their specific activations in a location that is already built out and ready to be updated.
“Sometimes we ideate the concept, and sometimes the talent does,” Levant said.
The Murakami collection created for MLB’s Tokyo series this spring was a huge success.
Courtesy of Complex
In New York, the store at 620 Broadway at Houston Street will open Friday evening at 6 p.m. and remain open through Sept. 6. It will launch as a partnership with ESPN to celebrate the sports network’s newly enhanced app and will feature a special ESPN x Hellstar collaboration.
Levant said the location is “the center of the world,” next to the Adidas flagship and in the heart of the NYU community. “It’s very visible and we’re hoping we get long lines like Supreme and Kith,” he said.
He said Hellstar is “one of the hottest independent streetwear brands” that launched as a direct-to-consumer business during the pandemic. “It has a really engaged fan base” that bridges youth sports apparel and footwear.
Billie Eilish gets ready to greet fans at Complex’s L.A. store.
Courtesy of Complex
In addition to a special ESPN x Hellstar collection, the New York flagship will feature the original desk from SportsCenter and a bank of televisions showing ESPN highlights, previews of the app and archival footage. Complex’s content shows will also be taped at the store.
Levant, now in his early 40s, said that although he may have aged out of the demographic he’s targeting with Complex, he believes he manages to stay current because of his “intellectual curiosity. I’m constantly talking, learning and consuming with creators. I’ve always been fascinated by the creative space, arts and music and I look to find new ways to build businesses out of that.”
Going forward, Levant said he hopes to roll out this unique retail concept to other key cities in the U.S. and overseas. “We think there can be 10 to 20 stores around the world,” he said, mentioning London, Tokyo, Melbourne and some cities in China where there are fans of “music, sneakers and sports” — his target customer.
In addition to the New York store, Levant will bring ComplexCon back to Las Vegas this fall. It is slated to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center Oct. 25 and 26.
