Dick’s closing all but three Moosejaw stores amid integration with Public Lands
Dick’s Sporting Goods is doing some internal realigning — and store closings.
The sporting goods giant will close 11 of Moosejaw’s 15 stores, with locations in Birmingham, Mich.; Salt Lake City, Utah, and Bentonville, Ark., remaining open. According to the Detroit Free Press, the stores, along with Moosejaw’s headquarters in Madison Heights, Mich., will go dark in February 2024.
The news about the closings come several months after Dick’s acquired the digitally native specialty outdoor retailer from Walmart. The purchase price was not disclosed.
In a statement, Dicks said that, following a “careful review” of its outdoor specialty business, it has decided to form one team that will support the operations of Public Lands and Moosejaw. The team will be based at Public Lands’ headquarters in Pittsburgh. (Dick’s launched Public Lands, which is focused on outdoor activities and land conservation, in fall 2021.)
“This move supports our business optimization efforts and will allow us to operate more efficiently, quickly leverage best practices across our outdoor business and drive our long-term success,” Dick’s said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to provide outdoor enthusiasts great gear and service on Moosejaw.com, PublicLands.com and at Moosejaw and Public Lands retail locations.”
The 11 Moosejaw stores that will close in February include seven in Michigan, as well as locations in Olathe, Kan.; Chicago; Boulder, Col.; and Kansas City, Mo.
In November 2022, Dick’s said it would open four more Public Lands stores, for a total of seven locations. The retailer hasn’t announced any additional locations since then. Instead, it has focused on growing its Dick’s House of Sport concept, with plans to plans to open 20 locations during the next two years, with 75 to 100 House of Sport stores expected by 2027.
In its decision to acquire Moosejaw, Dick’s said the concept would expand its outdoor portfolio — led by Public Lands — and reaffirm its commitment to the long-term business opportunity in the growing multibillion-dollar outdoor category.