Katy, Texas — Sporting goods retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors has announced plans to open 160 to 180 new stores over the next five years.
Half of the new stores are expected to open in markets where the retailer has an existing footprint. The remaining 80 to 90 stores are planned for new and adjacent markets, with a focus on expanding to smaller and mid-sized markets. The company sees these locations as offering higher opportunities for profit despite lower sales volumes.
These openings will increase the Katy-based retailer’s footprint from 282 stores across 18 states to between 442 and 462 nationally. The company will begin this effort by opening 15 to 17 new locations in 2024. The first of these stores recently opened in Knightdale, North Carolina. Another location is set to open on April 12 in Greenwood, Indiana.
The company, which sees 95 percent of its sales fulfilled in brick-and-mortar locations, concurrently announced plans to enhance its omnichannel shopping experience by improving its mobile application and search capabilities, increasing the speed of online check-out, and offering more payment options.
Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 and offers a full range of outdoor and sports apparel and footwear; hunting, fishing, hiking and camping gear; boating supplies; and outdoor living products including grills, outdoor furniture and children’s play sets.
— Katie Sloan