Academy Sports + Outdoors

Academy Sports + Outdoors

Type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	San Antonio, USA (1938)
Headquarters	Harris County, Texas, USA
Key people	Max Gochman Founder David Gochman, Chairman, CEO Rodney Faldyn, President
Products	Discount stores
Revenue	US $1.8 billion, (2007)
Net income	US $65.0 million, (2005)
Owner(s)	Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Employees	Over 11,000
Website	www.academy.com

Academy Sports + Outdoors is a sports goods discount store chain. For 74 years it was a privately held company owned by the Gochman family, until its May 2011 sale of majority ownership to the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts LP. Academy is one of the largest sporting goods stores in the US, operating 138 stores (as of Apr. 2011) across the southeastern United States. Academy Sports and Outdoors has its corporate offices and product distribution center in unincorporated western Harris County, Texas, United States, near Katy.

History

Academy Sports + Outdoors is a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer with a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing, and camping equipment and gear along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more. The Texas-based company operates 140 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The Academy Sports + Outdoors philosophy is to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience by providing convenience, offering a broad selection of quality products, delivering exceptional customer service and selling the right stuff at every day low prices. For more information about Academy Sports + Outdoors visit academy.com, facebook.com/academysportsandoutdoors, twitter.com/academydotcom and youtube.com/academydotcom.

Whether customers are getting prepared for a big game, a jog in a park, a tailgate with fellow fans, a hunting or fishing trip, a hike, the first day of school, an afternoon grilling in the backyard or a weekend of boating, their first stop should always be at Academy Sports + Outdoors. We have the apparel, footwear, equipment and gear for the fan, enthusiast and participant. No matter what skill or interest level, the whole family, from children to grandparents, will always find what they need at Academy Sports + Outdoors. Right Stuff. Low Price. Everyday!

Academy Sports + Outdoors is one of the nation's largest sporting goods and outdoor stores. It is currently owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co L.P. (together with its affiliates, "KKR"), a leading global investment firm, and led by CEO & President Rodney Faldyn. Prior to August 2011, the company was owned by the Gochman Family and led by Chairman and CEO David Gochman. David's grandfather, Max Gochman, started Academy Sports + Outdoors over 70 years ago when he opened Academy Tire Shop in 1938 in San Antonio, Texas. After a few years, Max began selling military surplus, and the store continued to evolve into what it is now — a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer with a broad assortment of high-quality hunting, fishing and camping equipment and gear along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more. Over the last several decades, the company has grown substantially from its small beginnings. Sales reached one billion dollars in 2004 and two billion dollars in 2007. Today, annual sales exceed $2.7 billion.

Business

Academy stores have six departments:

• Team Sports (Including the Golf Shop and Fitness Flat)
• Footwear
• Camping (Including patio furniture and cooking supplies)
• Hunting and Fishing (Including firearm sales, boating, and truck and trailer accessories. Academy is the largest distributor of firearms in the US.)
• Apparel
• Front End (Cash Registers, including hunting and fishing license sales at select registers)

The company ensures good customer service by training associates when they are first hired, as well as through department specific training modules throughout the employee's career at Academy. Academy is one of the major sports and outdoors stores in the nation even with a over 130 stores in the south and southeast US. Academy suscribes to the volume discount business model. Low prices drive the company's business strategy.

Stores

Academy stores are generally painted white on outside, with familiar red and blue signage. On the inside, they are similarly painted white, giving stores an open, clean appearance. With over 100,000 square feet (9,300 m²), the floor plan in all stores are similar. Walking into the store, team sports and footwear are on the left wall, camping on the back wall, hunting and fishing on the right wall, apparel in the middle and the registers on the front wall, leading to the exit. Many stores feature a small putting green to test out putters on in its Golf Shop.

Locations

Academy operates stores in 11 states:

• Alabama (10)
• Arkansas (4)
• Florida (3)
• Georgia (3)
• Louisiana (14)
• Mississippi (3)
• Missouri (1)
• Oklahoma (6)
• Tennessee (4)
• Texas (81)
• South Carolina (2)

References

• Company Information
• Academy.com Find a Store
• Forbes.com article (2007)
• Answers.com article

External links

• Official site
• Kaplan, David. "Buyout deal brings new era for Academy." Houston Chronicle. June 1, 2011.
• Eaton, Collin. "KKR to buy big stake in Texas-based sporting goods chain Academy." The Dallas Morning News. May 31, 2011.