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, Canada and the United Kingdom. The majority of the stores operate in shopping malls and factory outlet centers.[1][2]

Lids, Inc.
Lids Sports Group
TypeSubsidiary
Industry
  • Retailer
  • Full Service Team Dealer
  • Custom Screen Printer
  • Embroidery
  • Sporting Goods Operator
Founded1993 (Lids)
1995 (Hat World)
Headquarters
Indianapolis, Indiana
,
US
Number of locations
1131
Area served
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Puerto Rico
  • United Kingdom
Key people
  • Conner White (co-founder of Lids)
  • Ben Fischman (co-founder of Lids)
  • Douglass Karp (co-founder of Lids)
  • Glenn Campbell (co-founder of Hat World/executive vice president)
  • Austin Leplow (co-founder of Hat World/executive vice president)
  • Scott Molander (co-founder of Hat World)
  • Meek Mill (co-owner)
Ken Wilson (DSM Central PA)
Products
Parent
  • Genesco (2004–2018)
  • Ames Watson Capital LLC (2018–present)
DivisionsLids Locker Room, Lids Clubhouse
Website

History

Lids was founded in Boston by best friends Douglass Karp (son of real estate developer Stephen R. Karp) and Ben Fischman (son of real estate developer Steven Fischman) in 1993.[3][4] Hat World, Inc. was founded in 1995 by Glenn Campbell and Austin Leplow, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hat World's first store opened at Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette, Indiana.[5] The second store opened at Muncie Mall[6] in Muncie,[7] Indiana.[8] In 2001, Lids was acquired by Hat World.

Hat World, Inc. was acquired in April 2004 by footwear retailer Genesco Inc.[9] In 2019 Genesco sold Hat World to a joint venture between Ames Watson, LLC and Fanatics, Inc.[10] Also in 2019, rapper Meek Mill acquired an ownership stake.[11]

References
  1. "Lids - Company Information". Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  2. "Genesco Inc. - Lids". Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  3. Lilliefors, Jim (September 1, 2009). Ball Cap Nation: A Journey Through the World of America's National Hat. Clerisy Press. pp. 102–110. ISBN 9781578604111.
  4. Schwartz, Jason (March 23, 2009). "It's Much, Much More Than Just a Hat". Boston Magazine.
  5. 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.
  6. "Muncie Mall", Wikipedia, 2020-08-08, retrieved 2020-09-20
  7. "Muncie, Indiana", Wikipedia, 2020-08-22, retrieved 2020-09-20
  8. "Indiana", Wikipedia, 2020-09-14, retrieved 2020-09-20
  9. "Genesco Completes Hat Shack, Inc. Acquisition" (Press release). Genesco Inc. 2004-04-02. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  10. "Ames Watson acquires Lids Sports Group".
  11. "Meek Mill Becomes Co-Owner of Lids | SGB Media Online". 26 June 2019.


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