Dick's to Close 11 Moosejaw Stores During Integration with Public Lands; Merger on the Horizon
Dive Brief:
- Months after purchasing the outdoor retailer, previously owned by Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods announces the closure of 11 Moosejaw stores, with only three locations remaining.
- The stores in Chicago, Olathe, Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as seven stores in Michigan, will be shutting down by February next year. The stores in Salt Lake City, Bentonville, Arkansas, and Birmingham, Michigan, will remain open.
- Dick's Sporting Goods did not offer any information regarding potential layoffs as a result of the shift. The company plans to combine its Moosejaw and Public Lands operations under one team.
Dive Insight:
Following the announcement of the acquisition of Moosejaw in February, Dick's Sporting Goods decides to unify its two outdoor banners under a single team.
"With careful evaluation of our specialty outdoor business, we've decided to consolidate the operations of Public Lands and Moosejaw under one team, based at Public Lands' headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA," reported a Dick's Sporting Goods rep via email. "This step supports our business optimization efforts, enabling us to operate more efficiently, swiftly share best practices across our outdoor business, and power our long-term success."
Moosejaw will still maintain a limited physical retail presence, including a store in Bentonville, Arkansas - Walmart's hometown, opened in 2021. Dick's Sporting Goods declined to comment on its plans for Moosejaw's retail outlets long-term.
Upon acquiring the retailer, Dick's boasted seven Public Lands stores and touted Moosejaw's robust e-commerce presence. Moosejaw was intended to beef up the outdoor portfolio and reaffirm Dick's commitment to the specialty outdoor market. However, the acquisition was planned with both businesses being closely tied, with Moosejaw's CEO, Eoin Comerford, reporting to Public Lands' CEO, Todd Spaletto.
Commenting on the company's stance, one retail analyst not associated with Dick's or Moosejaw says, "It's not surprising that Dick's is streamlining its operations in favor of its core-brand formats like House of Sport and Field House, which emphasize experiential concepts and have shown solid results in customer engagement and growth."
By early 2025, Dick's Sporting Goods' long-term plans for Moosejaw's physical retail footprint have significantly shifted. The retailer has opted to wind down the smaller specialty chain and concentrate on more scalable, experiential retail concepts under the Dick's Sporting Goods umbrella. This strategy aligns with the company's emphasis on innovative, immersive retail experiences over traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.
- The announcement of the consolidation of Moosejaw and Public Lands operations by Dick's Sporting Goods emphasizes their focus on efficiency and integration within their outdoor retail business.
- The decision to close 11 Moosejaw stores, as announced by Dick's Sporting Goods, indicates a shift in their retail strategy towards more scalable and experiential concepts.
- The remaining Moosejaw stores, including one in Bentonville, Arkansas, will continue to operate, signifying a limited physical retail presence as part of Dick's Sporting Goods' long-term plans.
- The unification of Moosejaw and Public Lands under one team is intended to power Dick's Sporting Goods' long-term success in the specialty outdoor market, as articulated by their representative.
- The closure of Moosejaw stores and consolidation of operations may potentially result in layoffs, although Dick's Sporting Goods has not provided any information regarding this aspect.
