Academy Sports and Outdoors — a retail chain offering a variety of sporting goods and outdoor recreational equipment — is opening its first Bloomington location Sept. 20 at 123 S. Kingston Drive.
Academy Sports and Outdoors sells apparel, hunting and fishing equipment, camping, team sports items and more. 18 private label brands and top brands including Nike, Carhartt, Stanley and more supply these products, according to Academy Sports Senior Public Relations Specialist Grace Carter.
The retail chain began in Texas and had since expanded to 288 stores across 19 states. This is its eighth location in Indiana with nearby stores in Carmel, Terre Haute and Indianapolis.
To celebrate the new Bloomington location, the Academy Sports and Outdoors will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on the day the store opens. This location will have gift card giveaways and free laser engravings on the grand opening and limited time offers until Sept. 22.
As a part of its grand opening, the company will donate $5,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington. Part of these proceeds will go toward gift cards for the youth members of the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington to shop at the store Sept. 19, before the grand opening.
To prepare for the grand opening, the store will hold a soft opening that’s open to the public Sept. 16.
The front entrance of Academy Sports + Outdoors is pictured Sept. 12, 2024, in Bloomington. The chain will open its eighth Indiana location.
