Industry Eye: Prospecting - Sears, Edwin Watts Golf Team Up for Store-Within-a-Store Model

While golf is primarily an individual sport, that doesn't mean retailers that sell golf products can't partner up to drive more sales — and acquire new buyers at the same time.

In a move announced in late April, national cross-channel retailers Sears and Edwin Watts Golf have agreed to establish the first U.S.-based "store-within-a-store" retail model for the golf industry. Edwin Watts will open 12 golf shops inside existing Sears stores nationwide. The first is slated for Sears' Murray, Utah, location. Other Edwin Watts Sears locations will include Hicksville, N.Y.; Falls Church, Va.; and Friendswood, Texas, as well as stores in Maryland, Illinois, Florida and Kentucky.

Pairing the two storied brands figures to mesh diverse demographics — Sears' budget-conscious consumers with Watts' more high-end buyers. This wasn't an accident.

"As the golf industry is seeking opportunities to increase participation and interest across all demographics, this retail model will allow a new audience of consumers to experience golf each time they visit their local Sears store," said John Watson, CEO of Edwin Watts Golf Shops, in a company press release. "This partnership with Sears is a significant development in the golf industry as it expands the access of service-oriented golf retail to all levels of golfers, while helping to drive new players to the game."

Edwin Watts was looking to break into the mall-based retail environment, and Sears presents an ideal fit because of its national footprint and affiliations with high-end brands such as Craftsman Tools and Nordic Track, whose demographics mirror Watts'. The Watts shops within Sears will be manned by Edwin Watts Golf associates, and offer a similar layout and shopping experience to the company's free-standing shops.