Academy Sports + Outdoors, a full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer, has opened two new locations in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. and Midlothian, Va. and will open another new store in Morgantown, W.Va. later this month.
The openings come on the heels of the retailer surpassing 300 total stores in the first quarter and reinforces its commitment to bringing a broad assortment of quality sporting goods and outdoor gear to more families across the country.
“Just in time for summer, Academy Sports + Outdoors is thrilled to provide customers a destination for the whole family that makes pursuing their sports and outdoors passions easy and affordable,” said Eric Friederich, senior vice president of retail operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors. “As we continue to expand our national footprint, Academy is excited to be the new go-to destination in these communities for customers looking for the top brands at a great value.”
As part of Academy’s focus on local communities, the Company celebrated each new store by hosting donation shopping sprees with local non-profit organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of The Emerald Coast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond in Fort Walton Beach and Midlothian, respectively. Each location also celebrated its grand opening with exclusive deals and giveaways, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and fun for the entire family.
Academy opened 14 new stores across six different states in 2023. The following year, in 2024, Academy’s expansion efforts resulted in 16 new stores in 10 different states, including its first locations in Ohio. So far in 2025, Academy has opened seven new stores in six states including its first stores in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
