By TRICIA NEAL, CJ Staff Writer
Is there a sports enthusiast on your holiday shopping list?
Somerset’s newest store is selling any sports-related item you can think of — and many more you probably haven’t thought of.
Dunham’s Sports opened Friday in Grand Central Place, 2835 South U.S. 27, in the former Wal-Mart building at the southernmost end of the shopping center.
Dunham’s, the Mid-west’s largest retail sporting goods chain, was founded in 1937 in Detroit and has grown to 155 stores in 12 states. From its humble beginnings as a bait and tackle shop, Dunham’s has expanded to offer items related to golf, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, skateboarding, cycling, boxing, hiking, paintball, yoga, general fitness, and more.
“We want to thank everyone for the warm welcome,” manager Michael Bryant said during a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday morning. “We’re very pleased to be in the community, and we plan to do business here for a long time. ... This area has never had a sporting goods store of this magnitude.”
“Our market research has indicated that the Somerset area fits perfectly into Dunham’s growth strategy, and we are excited about our continued expansion in the state of Kentucky,” added Jeff Lynn, chairman and CEO of Dunham’s Athleisure Corporation.
Bryant said Dunham’s is unique from other sporting goods stores in that it offers a big selection of name brand clothing and equipment, but keeps its focus on low prices.
“We keep our customers coming back because of our continued commitment to provide the largest selections at the lowest prices,” Lynn said.
The store offers a full line of traditional sporting goods and athletic equipment as well as a wide variety of active and casual sports apparel and footwear.
The Somerset location is tailored to the local market, offering a larger selection of athletic and outdoor apparel, including an expanded work wear and work boot shop, expanded hunting, fishing and fitness departments, and a large value area featuring footwear at savings of 30 to 50 percent.
The Somerset store also features a Fairway Center golf shop, offering top brands such as Taylormade, Nike, and Callaway. The Fairway Center contains a hitting room and putting green so shoppers can try their equipment before buying.
On Friday, the store was stocked with plenty of hoodies and T-shirts displaying the names of both local high school and regional college teams — from the Somerset Briar Jumpers to the Kentucky Wildcats to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Aside from the store’s every day low prices, special “club discount” prices are offered to certain groups. For example, individuals involved with local athletic teams can receive special prices year-round through Dunham’s “Team Discount” program — and contractors and farmers can benefit from the store’s “Work Wear Club.”
Store hours are Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
