Sporting Goods

Academy Sports + Outdoors Corporate Office

Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 when Arthur Gochman purchased Southern Sales, an army surplus chain of six stores.

Gochman had learned about the retail business from his father, Max Gochman, who owned a surplus retail outlet and a small chain of stores.

In 1973 Gochman changed the name of the company to Academy Corp.

In the 1980s Gochman rebranded the stores as sporting goods megastores.

In 1995 David Gochman, the founder’s son, joined the company. At this time Academy was a $350 million retail chain.

Today Academy Sports + Outdoor has 160 stores in 12 states. The stores carry clothing, shoes, and equipment for sports and outdoor activities such as camping, hunting, and fishing. The company is owned by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.

Academy Sports + Outdoor is #119 on the list of Forbes Largest Private Companies, has 21,000 employees, and had $3.7 billion in revenue in 2012.

The company announced in June 2018 that they had plans for expansion, despite the mounting competition from online retailers like Amazon.

Academy Sports + Outdoor

Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 when Arthur Gochman purchased Southern Sales, an army surplus chain of six stores.

Gochman had learned about the retail business from his father, Max Gochman, who owned a surplus retail outlet and a small chain of stores.

History

In 1973 Gochman changed the name of the company to Academy Corp.

In the 1980s Gochman rebranded the stores as sporting goods megastores.

In 1995 David Gochman, the founder’s son, joined the company. At this time Academy was a $350 million retail chain.

Academy Sports + Outdoor is #119 on the list of Forbes Largest Private Companies, has 21,000 employees, and had $3.7 billion in revenue in 2012.

The company announced in June 2018 that they had plans for expansion, despite the mounting competition from online retailers like Amazon.

Zumiez Corporate Office

Zumiez is a clothing retailer specializing in gear and clothing for action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.

Zumiez was founded by Tom Campion and Gary Haakenson in 1978 near Seattle, Washington.

Zumiez went public in 2005, trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol ZUMZ.

Today Zumiez is a specialty retailer of action-sports related apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment which it sells through 598 stores, including 512 in the United States, 28 in Canada, and 12 in Europe.

The company also operates the e-commerce site zumiez.com

Zumiez is a member of the S&P 600, has 1,800 employees and had $724 million in revenue in 2013.

The company was forced to close all location in March 2020 due to the coronavirus.

Zumiez is expected to announce its third quarter earnings on December 3rd, 2020.

The company maintains a corporate office in Lynwood, Washington.

Zumiez

Zumiez is a clothing retailer specializing in gear and clothing for action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.

Zumiez was founded by Tom Campion and Gary Haakenson in 1978 near Seattle, Washington.

History

Zumiez went public in 2005, trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol ZUMZ.

The company also operates the e-commerce site zumiez.com

Zumiez is a member of the S&P 600, has 1,800 employees and had $724 million in revenue in 2013.

The company was forced to close all location in March 2020 due to the coronavirus.

Zumiez is expected to announce its third quarter earnings on December 3rd, 2020.

The company maintains a corporate office in Lynwood, Washington.

Everlast Corporate Office

Jacob Golomb, a seventeen-year-old avid swimmer, was not satisfied by the quality of swimsuits available so he began making them in 1910.

He guaranteed that his swimsuits would last for an entire year. To further emphasize this guarantee, he named the swimsuits Everlast.

Over the following years, Golomb turned the company into a retail store that sold all manner of sporting goods.

In 1917 Jack Dempsey introduced Golomb to boxing when he asked him to construct protective headgear that would last more than 15 rounds.

Golomb designed the protective gear, and in 1919 Dempsey won the world heavyweight championship wearing Everlast Gloves.

In 1958 Ben Nadorf purchased 50% of the company from founder Jacob Golomb.

In 1995 Ben Nadorf became the sole owner of the company.

In 2007 UK-based Brands Holdings acquired Everlast.

Today Everlast Worldwide sells its products through department and sporting goods stores, as well as through catalog retailers and online through their website. Everlast’s name is known worldwide for boxing and mixed martial arts equipment.

Everlast Worldwide

Jacob Golomb, a seventeen-year-old avid swimmer, was not satisfied by the quality of swimsuits available so he began making them in 1910.

He guaranteed that his swimsuits would last for an entire year. To further emphasize this guarantee, he named the swimsuits Everlast.

Over the following years, Golomb turned the company into a retail store that sold all manner of sporting goods.

History

In 1917 Jack Dempsey introduced Golomb to boxing when he asked him to construct protective headgear that would last more than 15 rounds.

Golomb designed the protective gear, and in 1919 Dempsey won the world heavyweight championship wearing Everlast Gloves.

In 1958 Ben Nadorf purchased 50% of the company from founder Jacob Golomb.

In 1995 Ben Nadorf became the sole owner of the company.

In 2007 UK-based Brands Holdings acquired Everlast.

Bluestem Brands Corporate Office

Previous to 2010, Bluestem Brands was named Fingerhut Companies, Inc.

Fingerhut Companies, Inc. was founded in 1948 by William Fingerhut and his brother, Manny Fingerhut. At first, the company produced and sold automobile seat covers.

In 1952 the brothers reorganized their company as a mail-order company.

Fingerhut Companies went public in 1969.

In 1995 Fingerhut launched two e-commerce sites: fingerhut.com and AndysGarage.com.

The company was acquired several times in its history, with the most recent being by Bain Capital, the current owner of the company.

Since the acquisition of the company by Bain Capital the company has shown tremendous growth. Previous to 2004, the year of the first investment by Bain, Fingerhut had only $135 million annually in sales. In 2012 the company has $700 million in sales.

Fingerhut was rebranded as Bluestem Brands in 2010.

Today Bluestem Brands offers private-label and name-brand merchandise, including apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, health and beauty products, jewelry, kitchenware, luggage, sporting goods, toys, and tools through its two e-commerce sites: fingerhut.com and Gettington.com. The company also owns and operates Paycheck Direct, an employee purchase plan whereby employees can buy big ticket items through interest-free payroll deductions.

Bluestem Brands, Inc.

Previous to 2010, Bluestem Brands was named Fingerhut Companies, Inc.

Fingerhut Companies, Inc. was founded in 1948 by William Fingerhut and his brother, Manny Fingerhut. At first, the company produced and sold automobile seat covers.

In 1952 the brothers reorganized their company as a mail-order company.

History

Fingerhut Companies went public in 1969.

In 1995 Fingerhut launched two e-commerce sites: fingerhut.com and AndysGarage.com.

The company was acquired several times in its history, with the most recent being by Bain Capital, the current owner of the company.

Fingerhut was rebranded as Bluestem Brands in 2010.

Under Armour Corporate Office

Under Armour was founded by Kevin Plank, a 23-year-old former fullback on the University of Maryland’s football team, in 1996 from his grandmother’s basement in Washington, DC.

Plank got tired of changing out of his sweaty t-shirts and noticed that his compression shorts stayed dry under his uniform. After graduation he developed his first prototype of a shirt made of moisture-wicking synthetic fabric and gave it to his former teammates who had gone on to play for the NFL.

The brand began to take off when with contracts with Arizona State and North Carolina State Universities in 1996.

In 1999 Warner Brothers contacted Under Armour to outfit two of its movies: Any Given Sunday and The Replacements. Plank leveraged the release of the movies and strategically generated enough sales to finally put himself on the payroll.

Today Under Armour is a supplier of sport and casual apparel and footwear. The company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker UA. Under Armour has offices in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Canada, and Guangzhou, China. Worldwide headquarters are in Baltimore, Maryland. The company has 5,900 employees and had $1.83 billion in revenue in 2012.

Under Armour

Under Armour was founded by Kevin Plank, a 23-year-old former fullback on the University of Maryland’s football team, in 1996 from his grandmother’s basement in Washington, DC.

The brand began to take off when with contracts with Arizona State and North Carolina State Universities in 1996.