Wholesale Sports Usa Inc history

Dick Henry founded Henry’s Tackle Company in Selma, NC. He moved the company to Morehead City in 1971 and changed the name of the manufacturing division to Sea Striker.

Tom and Annette Carlson started a fishing tackle wagon jobber business out of their house in Brainerd, MN. By 1973, they’d moved into a 1,000-square-foot building in Sauk Rapids, MN and began operating as Carlson Sports.

In 1980, when annual sales reached $3 million, Blumenfeld sold shares in BSN to the public.

Blumenfeld acquired his first manufacturer in 1981, a tennis and golf equipment manufacturer named Rol-Dri, Inc.

By 1986, Warren Avis had brought All Sports, Carlson Sports and Henry’s into the Avis family.

By 1990 Academy had grown to 18 stores.

He took the company public in April 1991, and began the rebuilding process.

By 1990 Academy had grown to 18 stores. It also began a period of more rapid expansion, jumping to 34 stores by 1995, the year after it first moved into two adjoining states.

In May 1996, Sport Supply sold virtually all the assets of its Gold Eagle Professional Products Division, which sold golf accessory products to the retail market.

In March 1997, another golf divestiture was made when Nitro Leisure Products, Inc., acquired two years earlier, was sold.