Dick's Sporting Goods to Acquire Moosejaw From Walmart

Dick's Sporting Goods is buying the outdoor retailer Moosejaw from Walmart for an undisclosed amount of money, Dick's announced Wednesday in a press release. Moosejaw was acquired by Walmart for a reported $51 million in 2017. It's mostly an e-commerce platform, but operates brick-and-mortar locations in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. Moosejaw will join Dick's outdoor portfolio of brands, which is currently led by specialty retailer Public Lands. The deal is expected to close in March.

"We admire what Moosejaw has accomplished over the past 30 years as a leader in the outdoor industry and look forward to the opportunity to share insights and learn from one another," said Todd Spaletto, president of Public Lands and senior vice president of Dick's. "We believe there's potential to grow the Moosejaw business and provide compelling experiences and an expanded product assortment to its millions of loyal customers."

Once the deal closes, Moosejaw CEO Eoin Comerford will report to Spaletto.

Total Retail's Take: In addition to its namesake stores, Dick's operates GolfGalaxy, Field & Stream, Going Going Gone!, Warehouse Sale, and Public Lands stores. With the launch of the outdoor-focused Public Lands stores in 2021, Dick's showed a strong desire to make a splash in the area of outdoor recreation, especially with the increased demand the category saw during the COVID-19 pandemic. The acquisition of Moosejaw could solidify Dick's presence in the world of outdoor retail, broadening its reach beyond its core of sports apparel and equipment. Moosejaw brings with it an intensely loyal customer base, which surely was an attractive component of the deal for Dick's Sporting Goods.