COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 5941

Sporting Goods, Retail

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

24companies1893–1988founding years24still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedSpiegel, Inc.FoundedSpiegel, Inc.
1893
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedGart Sports CompanyFoundedOshman's Sporting Goods, Inc.FoundedOshman's Sporting Goods, Inc.
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedLechmere Inc.
1948
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedGander Mountain, Inc.FoundedGander Mountain, Inc.FoundedSport Chalet, Inc.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedSportmart, Inc.FoundedSportmart, Inc.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedAcademy Sports & Outdoors
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedGIB GroupFoundedGIB Group
1974
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedThe Score Board, Inc.
1986
FoundedThe Sports Authority, Inc.FoundedThe Sports Authority, Inc.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedSports & Recreation, Inc.
1988
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyAmazon is founded; e-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Spiegel, Inc. →
Active · founded 1893
Spiegel, Inc.
Spiegel, Inc. →
Active · founded 1893
Spiegel, Inc.
Gart Sports Company →
Active · founded 1946
Appropriately headquartered in the recreation haven of Colorado, Gart Sports Company is the second largest sporting…
Gart Sports Company →
Active · founded 1946
Appropriately headquartered in the recreation haven of Colorado, Gart Sports Company is the second largest sporting…
Oshman's Sporting Goods, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Creator of a unique retail format in the sporting goods industry, Oshman's Sporting Goods, Inc.
Oshman's Sporting Goods, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Creator of a unique retail format in the sporting goods industry, Oshman's Sporting Goods, Inc.
Lechmere Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Lechmere Inc.
Lechmere Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Lechmere Inc.
Gander Mountain, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
Gander Mountain, Inc.
Gander Mountain, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
Gander Mountain, Inc.
Sport Chalet, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
A leading operator of full service, specialty sporting goods superstores, Sport Chalet, Inc.
Sport Chalet, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
A leading operator of full service, specialty sporting goods superstores, Sport Chalet, Inc.
Sportmart, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
The Sportmart, Inc.
Sportmart, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
The Sportmart, Inc.
Academy Sports & Outdoors →
Active · founded 1973
Privately owned by the Gochman family, Academy Sports & Outdoors operates the fourth largest chain of retail sporting…
Academy Sports & Outdoors →
Active · founded 1973
Privately owned by the Gochman family, Academy Sports & Outdoors operates the fourth largest chain of retail sporting…
GIB Group →
Active · founded 1974 · Belgium
GIB Group, Belgium's top retailer, is active in four sectors: supermarkets and hypermarkets; do-it-yourself (DIY) home…
GIB Group →
Active · founded 1974 · Belgium
GIB Group, Belgium's top retailer, is active in four sectors: supermarkets and hypermarkets; do-it-yourself (DIY) home…
The Score Board, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
The largest distributor of sports memorabilia in the United States, The Score Board, Inc.
The Score Board, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
The largest distributor of sports memorabilia in the United States, The Score Board, Inc.
The Sports Authority, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
The Sports Authority, Inc.
The Sports Authority, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
The Sports Authority, Inc.
Sports & Recreation, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Operator of the tenth-largest sporting goods chain in the United States, Sports & Recreation, Inc., is a specialty…
Sports & Recreation, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Operator of the tenth-largest sporting goods chain in the United States, Sports & Recreation, Inc., is a specialty…
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