Hibbett: A History
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1945 - 1969 | Small Start, Big Vision
1945: Rufus Hibbett founds the company as “Dixie Supply Company, Inc.” selling athletic, marine, and aviation equipment.
1952: “Dixie Supply Company, Inc.” is renamed “Hibbett & Sons” after Rufus’ sons – Ike and George – join, shifting the company's focus to team sports.
1965: The brand's second store opens in Huntsville, AL.
1969: The company changes its name to “Hibbett Sporting Goods, Inc.”
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1945 - 1969 | Small Start, Big Vision
1979:Hibbett reaches 13 stores nation wide.
1980: The Anderson family acquires the company and initiates aggressive store growth focused on small and mid-sized markets across the South, strategically avoiding big-box competition and reducing overhead.
1993–1995: Our store count jumps from 34 to 60 locations.
1995: Saunders Karp & Co acquires Hibbett, which has 75 stores at the time across the Southeast.
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1996 - 2005 | Going Public + Growth Milestones
1996: Hibbett becomes a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ Exchange with 100 stores.
1997: Receives Nike's Retail Excellence Award for the ninth consecutive year.
1999: Hibbett expands to 180 stores across 16 states.
2005: Hibbett’s 500th store opens as the company approaches $500 million in revenue.
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2007 - 2014 | Building a Stronger Footprint
2007: Reaches 688 stores in 23 states.
2012: Hibbett ends the year with 873 stores across 29 states.
2014: The company moves into its new Birmingham Corporate Headquarters and opens a Distribution Center in Alabaster, AL.
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2014 - 2019 | Evolving Retail + Digital Growth
2015: Hits 1,000 stores—a major milestone!
2017: Hibbett launches its first e-commerce website, Hibbett.com.
2018: The Hibbett portfolio expands with the acquisition of specialty retailer, City Gear1.
2018: Hibbett debuts the mobile app with sneaker raffles and exclusive drops.
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2019 - 2021 | Innovation, Content & Community
2019: The company crosses the $1 billion revenue mark.
2020: Hibbett launches first partnership storytelling series with Nike and Nice Kicks. "Small Town Sneakerhead" highlights sneakerheads from across the Hibbett footprint.
2021: Named to Forbes’ lists for Best Large Employers and Best Employers for Diversity, Best Employers for New Grads, and America's Best Employers for Women.
Hibbett Rewards lands on Newsweek’s Best Loyalty Programs list.
2021: Hibbett, in partnership with Nike, also launches "Support Her Sole," a video series and community impact program made by women, for women.
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2022 - 2024 | Sustainability & Empowerment
2022: Hibbett commissions a series of murals around the city promoting the 2022 World Games. The brand serves as a title sponsor for the Games in Birmingham that summer.
2022: Hibbett is named to Forbes list of Best Employers for Diversity.
2023: Jordan Brand and Hibbett partner to launch "Cleared for Takeoff," a storytelling and giveback campaign featuring pioneers who take culture and sport to new heights.
2024:Hibbett joins Nike in Las Vegas for the 58th NFL National Championships game.
2024: Hibbett reaches footprint milestone with 1,169 stores across 36 states.
2024: JD Acquisition: Hibbett becomes part of the JD Sports Fashion PLC family, a global powerhouse in sports fashion. While no longer publicly traded, Hibbett operates as a key division within JD, bringing local expertise to a global stage.
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2024 - 2025 | A New Chapter with JD Sports
2024: Hibbett & Nike partner with Knight Eady to bring "Bama in Boutwell"2 to Birmingham's historic Boutwell Auditorium. The exhibition college basketball game becomes the pinnacle Nike basketball event of the South.
2024: Hibbett & Nike unveil new philanthropic initiative "First String"3 with an inaugural $50,000 to Wenonah High School and two four-year college scholarships for one male and one female basketball player from the school at the end of the year.
2025: Hibbett and Nike bring "Hibbett Village" to New Orleans for an exclusive Hibbett community experience during the 59th NFL Championships
2025: KidsHibbett.com and the Kids Hibbett app officially launch in June, making it easier than ever to shop big-brand sneakers and apparel just for kids from Nike, adidas, Crocs, and more.
1Since the JD acquisition, City Gear is no longer part of the Hibbett Retail, Inc. brand family. Today, this brand is part of the DTLR and Shoe Palace network within JD North America.
2In 2025 "Bama in Boutwell" was rebranded to "Ballin in Boutwell" and games expanded to include four consecutive days of play.
3First String is a philanthropic initiative launched by Hibbett in partnership with Nike aimed at empowering the next generation of student-athletes. Focused on supporting local high school boys and girls basketball programs, the program fosters athletic, academic, and career success, seeking to create opportunities for young people to thrive on and off the court.
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