Lids (store)

Lids Inc. is an American retailer specializing in athletic headwear. It primarily operates under the LIDS brand with stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. The majority of the stores operate in shopping malls and factory outlet centers.[1][2]

Lids, Inc.
Lids Sports Group
Subsidiary
Industry
  • Retailer
  • full service team dealer
  • custom screen printer
  • embroidery
  • sporting goods operator
Founded1995
Headquarters
Indianapolis, Indiana
,
US
Number of locations
1131
Area served
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Puerto Rico
Key people
  • Austin Leplow (co-founder, executive vice president)
  • Scott Molander (co-founder)
  • David Baxter (chief executive officer)
  • Kevin Thimjon (chief financial officer)
  • Meek Mill (co-owner)
Products
Parent
  • Genesco (2004–2018)
  • Ames Watson Capital LLC (2018–present)
DivisionsLids Locker Room, Lids Clubhouse
Website

The LIDS Sports Group, operating within Lids, Inc., comprises the LIDS retail headwear stores, the LIDS Locker Room specialty fan retail chain, the LIDS Clubhouse retail stores, and its Internet businesses, www.lids.com and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Indianapolis, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,000 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded college, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories all in the latest styles and colors. LIDS Locker Room is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties. Most LIDS and LIDS Locker Room stores also offer custom embroidery capability. LIDS Clubhouse operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce websites. Hat World, Inc. is a subsidiary of Fanatics Inc.[3]

History

LIDS was founded in Boston by best friends Douglass Karp (son of real estate developer Stephen R. Karp) and his best friend Ben Fischman (son of real estate developer Steven Fischman).[4][5] LIDS was bought out by Hat World Inc, founded in 1995 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hat World's first store opened at Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette, Indiana.[6]

Hat World Inc. was acquired in April 2004 by footwear retailer Genesco Inc..[7] In 2019 Genesco sold Hat World to a joint venture between Ames Watson, LLC and Fanatics, Inc.[8] Also in 2019, Meek Mill acquired an ownership stake.[9]

References
  1. "Lids - Company Information". Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  2. "Genesco Inc. - Lids". Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  3. Stefany Zaroban (2011-06-10). "HatWorld acquires yet another sporting goods retailer". Internetretailer.com. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
  4. Lilliefors, Jim (September 1, 2009). Ball Cap Nation: A Journey Through the World of America's National Hat. Clerisy Press. pp. 102–110. ASIN B006TKIA5W.
  5. Schwartz, Jason (March 23, 2009). "It's Much, Much More Than Just a Hat". Boston Magazine.
  6. Ketzenberger, John (27 December 2004). "2004 Top Stories & Newsmakers: Outside companies snag high-profile loals". Indianapolis Business Journal. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013.
  7. "Genesco Completes Hat Shack, Inc. Acquisition" (Press release). Genesco Inc. 2004-04-02. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  8. https://www.kslaw.com/news-and-insights/ames-watson-acquires-lids-sports-group
  9. https://sgbonline.com/meek-mill-becomes-co-owner-of-lids/
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