Jul. 28--In November, Gart Bros. Sporting Goods Co. will open the first of its new-format 'superstores' in a former Phar-Mor drug outlet at Sable Boulevard and East Exposition Avenue in Aurora, near the Aurora Mall.
The 55,000-square-foot store - more than triple the size of Gart's typical stores in shopping malls - will be called the Gart Sports Superstore. Nevertheless, it will be about half the size of Gart's huge Sportscastle located at 1000 Broadway in Denver.
Gart Bros. President John Chase said the company will keep operating its existing, smaller stores in the Aurora Mall and Buckingham Square shopping center after its Aurora supersto re opens.
Gart Bros.' announcement follows news that the Gart family itself is poised to get back into the retail business, possibly even into sports retailing following expiration in December of a still-binding noncompete clause.
Last November, Chairman Jerry Gart, his three sons and other family members left the 54-year-old sporting-goods firm after they failed in a bid to regain control of it. In 1986, they had sold the family-owned concern to a California company, but they continued to run Gart
Bros. over the next six years. Late last year, following reports that other rival sporting-goods dealers were eyeing Denver as a location for large, 'category-killer' stores, Gart Bros. said it would likely open four superstores in the Denver area during 1993 and 1994.
Yesterday, Chase said his company anticipates opening as many as six superstores in the area. They will include upgrades and expansions of existing, free-standing Gart Bros. stores in Boulder, Westminster and Littleton and the cons truction of new stores, most likely in the southeast and west areas of metro Denver, he added.
Sports & Recreation Inc., a Tampa, Fla., sporting-goods retailer, is building its first area store on East County Line Road near South Quebec Street in Dougl as County. The Florida company has looked for store locations in the north metro Denver area and in Colorado Springs. Sports & Recreation also builds large-format stores.
Sportmart Inc., based in Niles, Ill., outside Chicago, also has looked for Denver-area locations for its sporting-goods superstores, but to date, the company has not closed on any deals, according to commercial real estate experts.
Gart's Chase acknowledged that his company is building superstores in part to fend off new competition. 'We expect significant competition in this market,' he said. 'The growth is too visible. The lifestyle calls for more sporting-goods competition.'
Last month, Gart Bros. announced that it was buying 10 stores in Utah and Idaho from bankrupt Herm an's World of Sporting Goods. Those stores are expected to open under the Gart Bros. name in September. With the Herman's purchase, Gart Bros. will have 58 stores in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho.
Gart Bros. also announced yesterday that Bob Chess en had joined the company as vice president of human resources; Kay Reitzenstein has joined as company controller; and three new divisional merchandise managers have been named as well. They are Ed Humphries, a former Herman's executive; Ken Snyder, former ly of May D&F; and Ron Thring, who has broad experience in Denver retailing, having worked for KG Men's Store, Aspen Leaf and The Denver Dry Goods Co.
