Academy Sports coming to metro Atlanta

What??? Augusta had something before Atlanta????

 

I had heard 124 in Snellville where the old Lincoln dealership was. They have a huge distribution center on I 16 near Dublin.

 

1.2 million square feet, and it's closer to Jeffersonville than Dublin. Equal distance from Macon, WR, and Dublin.

Snellville is supposedly in the plans but no date has been set. McDonough is the first metro area planned store.


Also, single-store markets (those not big enough for more than one store, like Macon, Athens, and Evans) should look for stores in the next couple years. There are plans to open quite a few Atlanta area stores as well.

I'd know, a little birdie told me The little birdie also said to spend lots and lots of money at Academy on all things hunting, fishing, camping, firearms, and outdoors related, plus a great selection of team sports, fitness equipment, exclusive footwear and apparel, and tons of other stuff. Keeps folks employed.

 

I thought that Academy went bankrupt a while back?

 

Big box chain stores are gonna have to have amazing low prices to get my business, because I have a strong preference for locally-owned and operated gun shops.
THe kind of places that support grassroots gun rights organizations.
The kind that are politically aware, and involved.
The kind of shops that sell handguns and self-defense ammo, concealment holsters, etc.
Oh, and the kind of shops that let you test the trigger pulls with a few dry-fire clicks when you're handling the hardware.
Trigger pulls are important to me.

 

Negative. Privately owned company with one hell of a rich guy in charge. As far as I know the company has

Showing enormous growth year-to-year in terms of overall sales and same store sales. I can't share numbers (and it's not publicly traded, so there are no disclosure requirements, and I'm under an NDA anyway) but it's big.

 

The Academy store I remember was the first one. In an old bank building in SW Houston corner of Bellaire Blvd and S. Rice. Started by a lawyer as a little side business, early 60's

Used to buy 7.62 x 54 for my old bolt action out of big barrels for $0.05 each. He sold out long ago I sure.

 

I've never been to one. What's the big deal?

Just curious.

 

Yes, I would like to know too.

They are mostly clothing and basketballs and stuff like that.

 

First store was outside of Houston, actually, and was started as an army surplus store in 1938.

/paid to know all this crap

 

Right you are, I should have said first one in Houston (Southern Sales - Mil surplus mainly)

even more interesting:


The late Max Gochman opened Academy Tire Shop in San Antonio in 1939. He named it after St. Henry's Academy across the street, company President Rodney Faldyn said.

The company has kept "Academy" in its name while going from "Academy Tire Shop" to "Academy Super Surplus" in 1945 to simply "Academy" in 1973 to "Academy Sports + Outdoors" in 1995.

 

Chattanooga recently got an Academy and while I've not had the chance to fully explore it, I have nosed around a couple times.
They seem like a good place to go and handle firearms to see what you like. Then you can find somewhere else that carries it cheaper. Basically what the Sportsman's Warehouse was good for before. They also have a decent selection of boating equipment.
The biggest plus so far seems to be that they are taking just enough business away from Rock Creek Outfitters and Dick's to get them to run some decent sales. The Dick's actually remodeled and added a lot more stuff when Academy came to town.

 

GSUSNAKE, any late word on the projected open date of McDonough ?

 

you're gonna need a new source for info, gsusnake is no longer on this board. "BANNED"

 

thanks zoo, anybody else ?

 

Athens has had one for years. I buy target ammo there, also they carry an assortment of guns and holsters. Very decent prices on most things.

 

So has Evans. I think these are locations that already have an Academy, as examples of the type of places that will receive one in the future.

 

I shop at the Academy in Athens for accessories & supplies. They are very reasonable, and they guy that is behind the counter is always willing to help out and answer questions. He is very knowledgeable and very plesant. It's nice to have someone in a 'big box' store willing to provide 'actual customer service' and not just point and say 'aisle 13'

 

I called the Macon store, they answered my question.......