Dick's Sporting Goods plans to accelerate the expansion of its House of Sport concept with “as many as 75 to 100” new stores opening over the next few years, the company says.
Dick’s launched the House of Sport concept in 2021 and currently operates three stores—in Rochester, NY; Knoxville, TN; and Minnetonka, MN. Each store features an outdoor turf field and running track that converts to an ice-skating rink in winter, an indoor 35-foot rock climbing wall, a tech-enhanced batting cage, golf-hitting bays, a putting green, and other sports-related experiences, reports Sporting Goods Business.
Hobart said that since launching House of Sport in 2021, the three locations exceeded expectations, have driven strong engagement with brand partners and delivered higher sales and profits on a per-square-foot basis.
Dick's CEO and President Lauren Hobart credited the store’s concept to Ed Stack, Dick’s executive chairman and former long-time CEO.
“Dick’s House of Sport is redefining sports retail,” said Hobart. “It’s an experiential destination that was inspired by Ed as he challenged us to create the concept that if built across the street from Dick’s Sporting store, we would put that store out of business. It’s this way of thinking that drives us to continue to innovate and create market-leading disruption. House of Sport is an experience that fosters deep community involvement, goes well beyond traditional retail and has become a destination where athletes can fuel their passion.”
Over the next two years, around 20 additional House of Sport locations are expected to open, including downtown Boston and the chain’s current headquarters in Pittsburgh and former headquarters in Binghamton, NY. Said Hobart, “House of Sport will be a significant part of our future growth story.”