04 Jun Duke’s Sporting Goods Merges With H+W Sports
Duke’s Sporting Goods and H+W Sports, two team-sports retailers based in Kentucky, have decided to merge.
Duke’s Sporting Goods has two stores in Elizabethtown and Bowling Green, KY respectively, while H+W Sports has one location in Campbellsville, KY.
A report from The News-Enterprise said the deal was being negotiated for about six months. According to the report, Tony Carter, co-owner of Duke’s, and his business partner, Dale Keith, “are getting older and just thought it was time to merge” although both plan to continue to work the stores. The stores will not be renamed.
H+W Sports’ Owner Shaun Hord is the son of Founder, Ronnie Hord. Hord told the publication the merger will make the combined company one of the Top 15 Adidas team dealers in the nation. He said Duke’s already is the second biggest school jacket seller in the nation, and this may make them the biggest.