Dunham's Sports
{{short description|American sporting goods retailing corporation}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Dunham's Sports
| former_name = Dunham's Bait & Tackle (1937–1953)
| logo = Dunhams logo.svg
| type = Private
| founder = Ron Dunham
| area_served = Midwest and Southeast United States
| key_people = Jeffrey G Lynn (CEO)
| industry = Retail
| products = Apparel, sports equipment, footwear, exercise equipment, firearms, ammunition
| revenue = US$422.2 million (2022)
| operating_income =
| num_employees = 6,000
| num_employees_year = 2025
| owner = Dunham's Athleisure Corporation
| homepage = {{Official website|www.dunhamssports.com}}
| footnotes =
| intl =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1937|p=y}} in West Bloomfield, Michigan
| hq_location_city = Troy, Michigan
| hq_location_country = U.S.
| num_locations = 259
| num_locations_year = 2024{{cite web |url=https://www.dunhamssports.com/aboutus.html |title=About Us |publisher=Dunham's Sports |access-date=January 24, 2022}}
}}
Dunham's Sports is an American sporting goods retail chain owned by Dunham's Athleisure Corporation,{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/3668397Z:US|title=Dunham's Athleisure Corp - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets|work=Bloomberg|accessdate=January 24, 2022}} with stores located in the Midwestern to Southeastern United States. The chain specializes in athletic equipment, clothing, firearms, and other sports-related items. The chain has over 259 locations in 25 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
File:Dunham's Sports (13887814813).jpg]]
File:Grand Traverse Mall - Concourse 04.jpg in Traverse City, Michigan]]
History
The first store opened in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan in 1937 as Dunham's Bait & Tackle. It was operated by Ron Dunham on Northwestern Highway west of Telegraph Road. The original store gained exposure through advertisements in Newsweek and fishing shows hosted on radio. The original store burnt down in 1946 but was promptly rebuilt.{{cite news|url=http://www.dunhamssports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/RonDunham.pdf|title=It started with a tub of minnows|last=Vogel|first=Don|date=December 19, 2014|work=The Oakland Press|accessdate=September 7, 2018}}
Robert L Schmalzried bought the store in 1953 and relocated it to the corner of Northwestern Highway and Orchard Lake Road.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/99674304/|title=R. L. Schmalzreid started sport shops|last=Rossiter|first=Joe|date=September 23, 1988|work=The Detroit Free Press|page=6D|accessdate=September 6, 2018}} American Can Company acquired the chain in 1985.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/13/business/company-briefs-024504.html|title=COMPANY BRIEFS|date=February 13, 1985|work=The New York Times|accessdate=6 September 2018}} At the time of the acquisition, the chain had eight stores: five in Metro Detroit, one in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one in Anderson, Indiana, and one in Muncie, Indiana.{{cite magazine|date=March 2, 1985|title=Eugster assumes sporting goods role|magazine=Billboard|page=24|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WyQEAAAAMBAJ}} After merging with Primerica, the company sold off Dunham's in 1989.{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1989/12/18/72885/index.htm|title=COMPANIES TO WATCH TURNAROUND AT PRIMERICA The stock has jumped by one-third, even though some people still don't understand the company.|date=December 18, 1989|work=Fortune|access-date=6 September 2018}} By 1991, the company had 49 stores and was headquartered in Waterford Township, Michigan. Dunham's Sports is currently headquartered in Troy, Michigan.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/554996255/ | title=Dunham's sports opens in Bay Mall | work=Petoskey News Review | date=August 30, 1991 | accessdate=January 28, 2020 | author=Stephen Brede | pages=14}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.dunhamssports.com}}
Category:1937 establishments in Michigan
Category:American companies established in 1937
Category:Companies based in Troy, Michigan
Category:Economy of the Midwestern United States
Category:Economy of the Southeastern United States
Category:Privately held companies based in Michigan