Hibbett opens 3 new boutique-style locations

By

Robin Driver

Published
Feb 15, 2021

Having recently reported positive progress in its comparable sales, Birmingham, Alabama-based sportswear retailer Hibbett Sports has announced three new store openings, in California, Virginia and South Carolina.

 
Measuring 5,300 square feet, the largest of the new locations can be found at the Southgate Square Shopping Center, in Colonial Heights, Virginia. The retailer has also opened a 5,000-square-foot store in Columbia, South Carolina, and a 4,900-square-foot location in Vallejo, California’s Gateway Plaza.
 
All of the new stores feature a boutique-style open concept, designed to highlight new releases, as well as to be easy to navigate. The locations stock a range of major sportswear brands, such as Nike, Jordan and Adidas, with products including athletic apparel, sports equipment and footwear all on offer. The stores’ selections also include exclusive products.

In addition, at a time when the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has led to flexible purchasing options being increasingly important to consumers, Hibbett’s three new stores all offer a range of services including Buy Online Pick Up In Store, Reserve Online Pick Up In Store and Curbside Pick Up.
 
Both the Columbia and Vallejo locations also feature in-store phone-charging stations for shoppers.
 
Hibbett currently operates close to 1,100 Hibbett Sports and City Gear stores in 35 states around the United States.
 
The new openings come on the heels of the company’s announcement of a 21.9% rise in Q4 comparable sales, progress which led the retailer to up its earnings guidance for the quarter. Hibbett now expects its quarterly diluted earnings per share (EPS) to be in the range of $1.30 to $1.40.
 
The company put this growth down to strong acquisition and retention of new customers, as well as its ability to capitalize on pent-up demand. Unlike a large number of its peers, many of whom implemented widespread temporary closures, Hibbett made the decision to keep its stores open where possible when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the U.S. last year.
 
The company plans to report its full fourth-quarter and annual financial results on March 5, 2021.
 
Hibbett’s stores in Colonial Heights, Columbia and Vallejo all hosted grand opening events on February 13 and are now open to shoppers.