Submitted by FC Olympia
FC Olympia announced Monday a four-year apparel partnership agreement with local retail soccer store Wembley Soccer Shop located in Olympia, Washington. The Artesians celebrated 10 years of soccer in 2024 while Wembley Soccer Shop celebrated 31 years in the soccer community as of April 1, 2024.
“Vote with your dollar comes to mind,” said Artesian owner Ryan Perkins. “Local soccer teams and clubs should absolutely support their local soccer shop as the money stays in the community and finds its way back into youth soccer, high school teams and further playing opportunity type clubs.”
“Wembley Soccer Shop is genuinely committed to the soccer community and I am excited about the vision and direction that Ryan has taken the Artesians,” said Wembley Soccer Shop Owner Kurt Gress. “I’m thrilled to partner with FC Olympia and manufacturer Puma for Artesian kits in 2024 and the foreseeable future. The quality of Puma material and their storied excellence is a great fit for FC Olympia. Not to mention Puma is the official kit partner of the USL (United Soccer League).”
The Artesians signed their first USL soccer franchise in 2022 with USL League Two competing against regional rivals Ballard FC as well as placing in the top 16 in the nation out of 140 nationwide USL clubs in 2023. FC Olympia then started the first USL women’s franchise in May of 2023 in the state of Washington and clinched the National playoff in California in its inaugural year (USL W League).
In 2024 FC Olympia was due to have new jerseys made for their incoming players that travel from around the country to play soccer for their “path to pro” summer teams. With today’s retail economy pointing more in the direction of internet sales, Wembley Soccer Shop is the local, trusted, family owned, storefront for this regions soccer apparel and gear.
“The moment soccer dollars are spent online or with sales distributors that do not live in our community it weakens the local soccer economy,” said Perkins. “Wembley and its employees live in this community and have friends and family in youth clubs and support and sponsor local soccer teams of all ages. This is a part of our Artesian Soccer philosophy to support local businesses and the local soccer community.”
Wembley Soccer Shop is located off Pacific Avenue on the border of Lacey and Olympia right off Interstate 5. They have cleats, jerseys, protective gear and also do club and team bulk ordering from warmups, soccer bags to jerseys, shorts and socks. Kurt Gress and Wembley even do screen printing on apparel such as logos, names and numbers for the entire soccer community.
“The fact that Puma acknowledged and recognized what Ryan was doing with USL soccer and growing local soccer opportunities it felt like a fantastic fit to partner with us at Wembley,” said Kurt Gress. “Puma has been around for 70+ years and is a massive international soccer supporter and what a neat way to connect with local soccer than partnering with our shop and our local soccer community.”
To celebrate the new partnership the Artesians will be holding a 3-hour pop up at Wembley’s this Saturday April 13, 2024 from 10:30AM – 1:30PM. $8 retro Artesians tees, $18 retro Artesian hoodies and some surplus gear including old Artesian jerseys which will be available at 70% off.
Come get USL soccer schedules, Artesian stickers and more this Saturday at Wembley Soccer Shop.
