Sporting goods, outdoor rec retailer set to open Westfield store
WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Meet-and-greets with sports and contest celebrities are set for next week’s opening of the fifth Indiana location of a Texas-based sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer.
The Hamilton County location of Academy Sports + Outdoors will open Aug. 25 in Village Park Plaza in the former Marsh Supermarkets location just off East Greyhound Pass east of U.S. 31, the Westfield city government says. That store will have 75,000 square feet. The sites together were expected to create 120 jobs, the retailer says.
The grand opening for the Westfield store will be from Aug. 25-27, according to a social media post that has a schedule of events including giveaways. A ribbon-cutting is set for 8:40 p.m. Aug. 25.
Meet-and-greets at the Westfield location are scheduled with Indianapolis Colts tackle Grover Stewart, Indiana Fever player Grace Berger, famed hot-dog eating champion and Westfield resident Joey Chestnut, and Major League Fishing angler and Indiana native Jacob Wheeler.
Each day of the grand opening, the first 150 customers in line who are 18 and older will receive a free “mystery gift card giveaway.”
Academy Sports + Outdoors has Indiana stores in Evansville, Jeffersonville, Lafayette and Terre Haute, according to its website. A store also has been planned for Avon. The Avon store will have 60,000 square feet and open after the Westfield store. The exact location and opening date of the Avon store was not immediately available from the retailer.
Services available at the stores include free assembly on grills and bikes, scope mounting, bore sighting, line winding/spooling, and the ability to purchase hunting and fishing licenses.
The Lafayette location is in the Lafayette Pavilions shopping mall that’s southwest of South Street and South Creasy Lane. That’s about a mile west of the I-65 interchange for State Road 26.
The Terre Haute location is on U.S. 41 about a mile south of the I-70 interchange of East Springhill Drive.
“Customers can also stay up to date on their local new store updates by texting ‘Westfield’ or ‘Avon’ to 22369,” a news release in June said.
Academy also previously announced in the release that it’s signed a multiyear deal to serve as a “Proud Partner of the Indianapolis Colts.”
“Academy Sports + Outdoors is thrilled to become a member of the Indianapolis community and a partner of the Indianapolis Colts. Whether customers are cheering on the Colts, gearing up for fall sports, taking advantage of Indy’s running and biking trails, prepping for deer season, or heading to the lake, Academy will soon be the destination for all things sports and outdoors. We look forward to making a positive impact in the Westfield-Carmel and Avon communities and providing fun for all for years to come.”
Lawrence Lobpries, chief marketing officer for Academy Sports + Outdoors
“The Indianapolis Colts are very excited to welcome Academy Sports + Outdoors to Indianapolis and help introduce them to our community. This new partnership will support our mission of entertaining, inspiring, and uniting our fans with a brand that brings fun experiences both on and off the field.”
Roger VanDerSnick, Indianapolis Colts’ chief sales and marketing officer
