Fan Outfitters is rapidly expanding its hyperlocal merchandising model to more regions in the U.S.
Just six months after launching the concept, Fan Outfitters now has 12 stores open in cities including Phoenix, Dallas and Oklahoma. Fan Outfitters, a new division of Lids Sports Group, aims to be a one-stop shop for sports fan merchandise. The company recently opened its first Ohio store in February, followed by its North Tampa store in January.
The retailer wants to be the go-to spot for high-quality fan merchandise. To that end, the company personalizes each store’s decor and merchandise to match the team each store belongs to. The goal is to create a unique, specialized retail experience that persuades fans to purchase products from localized stores like FanHis Outfitters. , rather than from a major chain e-commerce site. The company is rapidly expanding its store count, with plans to open multiple stores in some cities.
“We have lofty goals. We expect to open hundreds of stores in a very short period of time,” said Sean McCabe, Lids’ vice president of corporate strategy and development. “I can see this concept quickly growing to over 200 or 300 stores.”
Fun Outfitters was founded in 2009 by two members of the Dawahale family (the family that formerly owned Dawahale’s department store) in partnership with former University of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch. Fan Outfitters, then a local fan shop in Kentucky, was acquired by Lids in 2013 and integrated into its business. Six months ago, Lid’s revived the sporting goods retailer as its own business unit, and Ames Watson, the private equity firm and Lid’s parent organization, told Axios that Lid’s had $1 billion in revenue in 2022. .
“Our Lids store is very nationally oriented, so we knew we could do more than what we do at the Lids store for our local fans. We have every team and every league . It helps everyone,” McCabe said. “We wanted to offer the widest selection, the largest selection, and basically a wow factor for all our local customers.”
Fan Outfitters sells collectible items such as team jerseys, hats, trading cards and replica helmets. The stores, which average 5,500 square feet, each have merchandise for 12 to 15 teams. McCabe said that in addition to professional and college sports, the company also sees an opportunity to offer fan products to high schools and colleges with strong alumni bases.
“When you think about the other people in the space, you usually start to see a very basic, core assortment: hats, sweatshirts, jerseys and T-shirts,” McCabe says. Told. “It’s great and well made, but ultimately boring for true fans.”
McCabe said that while in-store product assortment is an important part of Fun Outfitters’ localization strategy, the company also offers unique elements to its stores. Fan Outfitters offers customization services in-store for those who want to get a personalized T-shirt or jersey of their favorite team. The store itself has televisions showing local sports channels, and the decor highlights local sports teams.
Fun Outfitters is also strategic about where it opens stores. McCabe said Fun Outfitters intends to open multiple stores in the area when it enters the market. For example, after opening a north Tampa store in Florida, the company plans to open additional stores in St. Petersburg and south Tampa. McCabe said the company will likely have about 10 stores in Tampa in a year.
The company sees the fan products category as a “blank space” that it can fill. Big retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart are also competing for sports fan spending.
Rebekah Kondrat, founder of Rekon Retail, said having a big store opening campaign could be beneficial. Your brand will become instantly recognizable, even to customers who didn’t know about it before. Kondrat said brands can also spread capital investments, such as design and merchandising costs, across multiple stores.
However, opening multiple stores at the same time also comes with risks. Kondrat said retailers that expand their presence too quickly may have little room to learn from mistakes. “It doesn’t always work the first time,” she said. “If you open 200 pieces, [stores]And if something goes wrong, you have 200 doors to fix. ”
Fun Outfitters’ McCabe said the company benefits from the word of mouth its stores generate. The company is investing in in-store events such as player meet-and-greets to increase store foot traffic. Each market will also be given its own social media handle.
“The only way we can be successful is by having the best products and the largest selection of products on the market,” McCabe said. “We want our fans to come and see the largest selection they can’t find anywhere else.”
