Opening date, other details emerge about sporting goods retailer coming to Fairview Heights

Sometimes curiosity and the internet can be great things.

Especially when the two join together in the form of a curious person posting a good question online.

And even more so when my regular scouring of local social media pages hits paydirt because someone official answers that question.

While scrolling through my own Facebook news feed, I learned that a well-known sports retailer is opening an outlet store in Fairview Heights.

A Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale is opening soon at 81 Ludwig Drive, the former location of a Gordmans store that closed in 2020.

In an Oct. 4 Facebook post on the Fairview Heights IL Chatter page, a user stated that she saw workers at the location and asked what was going on.

Among the comments on the post were replies from Fairview Heights Land Use and Development Director Dallas Alley stating, “It will be a Dicks Sporting Goods Outlet.”

“This is in addition to the Dicks Sporting Goods already in town,” stated a second post from Alley.

Alley sent me an email in response to an earlier voicemail I left for him, asking about the new store.

In our quick back-and-forth, he confirmed that the Facebook posts are legit. (One can’t be too careful where the web is concerned.)

He also wrote that Dick’s Sporting Goods applied for a commercial occupancy permit for the Ludwig Drive location and that the new outlet store “will replace a Dick’s Warehouse elsewhere in the St. Louis market.”

He did not specify that store’s location.

“The City of Fairview Heights is excited to see a new retail shopping option for our residents,” wrote Alley.

In my quest for more information, I stopped by the Fairview Heights store, which opened in October 2017 at 6575 N. Illinois St.

Unfortunately, store employees were not able to answer my questions about the new store.

I anticipated that, but it never hurts to ask.

I also sent an email to Dick’s Sporting Goods to learn more about the outlet store and received a response from Peyton Moriarity, communications coordinator for the retailer.

She wrote that the new store will open at the beginning of November.

The difference between stores

So what’s the difference between Dick’s Sporting Goods and Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale?

If you’ve been to a Dick’s Sporting Goods, you already know that the store offers athletic gear, shoes and apparel for men, women and children.

They cover all sports, from baseball, basketball, soccer and football to swimming, cheerleading, ice skating and outdoor activities.

So pretty much everything.

This includes fan gear.

While at the Fairview Heights store, I was delighted to see all of the St. Louis City Soccer gear, front and center.

Some of that stuff’s on my gotta-have-it list.

Now the Warehouse Sale store, on the other hand, has apparel, shoes and accessories, all at discounted prices.

“This new location is your one-stop shop to find head-to-toe deals for the entire family with incredible prices and savings you don’t want to miss,” wrote Moriarity in her email.

“The store will feature thousands of styles from top brands you know and love at up to 70% off. The store will offer new weekly markdowns and arrivals on top brands, so there is always a diverse assortment to choose from.

“To make shopping even easier, the apparel departments are organized by size and color.

“Since the location is part of the DICK’S Sporting Goods family, customers can use their loyalty ScoreCard for rewards and maximum savings.”

With lower prices for athletic wear, I’m running out of excuses to put off exercising. I guess I have to cross “workout clothes are too expensive” off that list.

Ah, well.

About Dick’s Sporting Goods

Dick’s Sporting Goods was founded in 1948 by then 18-year-old Richard “Dick” Stack in Binghamton, New York, according to the Dick’s website.

The business started as a bait-and-tackle shop, and by the late 1970s, the product line expanded to include many of the types of merch found there today.

Dick’s Sporting Goods, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has nearly 800 store locations in the U.S., including 36 stores in Illinois.

Other stores owned by the company include Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Moosejaw.

About Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale

Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale will soon open at 81 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights.

The outlet store is set to celebrate a grand opening weekend Nov. 3-5.

Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, visit dickssportinggoods.com.