City Sports
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City Sports | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Private |
| Founded | Boston, Massachusetts, USA (1983) |
| Headquarters | Wilmington, Massachusetts[1], USA |
| Industry | Sportswear and athletic equipment |
| Products | Clothing, shoes and equipment |
| Website | City Sports |
City Sports is an American sporting goods retailer operating mostly on the east coast of the United States. Its chief products include athletic apparel, footwear, and equipment. Founded in 1983 by two Boston locals[2], the company has grown across state borders and now operates sixteen stores in six states.[3]
[edit] History
In 1983, two male friends living in the Fens neighborhood of Boston[2] went in search of a basketball pump. Both city dwellers, the two men could not easily drive outside of the city to a suburban athletic retailer like Dick's Sporting Goods. Instead, they sought a local sports apparel and equipment maker specifically targeted at the urban dweller.
When the two friends failed to find such a store, they founded City Sports. The goal of the company, according to its website, was to meet the needs of the "athletic metropolitan adult."[2] By 1987, the two friends believed they had developed the product mix and store atmosphere needed to achieve this goal, so they opened their second store. The company continued to grow, and now operates sixteen stores across six states (Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Georgia).[3]
On January 1, 2008, City Sports launched its first fully integrated website featuring all of the products that can be found in their stores.
[edit] Highland Acquisition
On March 11, 2008, the company announced it had been acquired by the Highland Consumer Fund, a subsidiary of Highland Capital Partners, an investment firm.[4] Highland purchased an 80% stake in the company, and plans to nearly triple the number of stores to 50 within the next five years. Ultimately, Highland estimates the business has the potential to grow to around 300 stores across the United States.[5] Both parties declined to release financial details of the deal.
[edit] References
- ^ City Sports: Corporate Directory. citysports.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-31.
- ^ a b c City Sports: About Us. citysports.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-31.
- ^ a b City Sports: Store Locator. citysports.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-31.
- ^ City Sports Announces Acquisition and Strategic Investment from the Highland Consumer Fund. hcp.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
- ^ Taking City Sports to a lot more places. boston.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
