Dick’s Sporting Goods Expands “House of Sport” Stores
While many retailers are cutting back on space and store counts, Dick’s Sporting Goods is going against the grain by investing in larger, experience-driven locations. Its “House of Sport” concept, ranging from 120,000 to 150,000 square feet, is more than twice the size of its traditional stores. These stores offer customers immersive sports environments featuring climbing walls, golf simulators, outdoor fields, and a greater assortment of footwear.
Dick’s Executive Chairman and son of Founder Dick Stack, Edward Stack, said during a CNBC interview: “We needed to build the concept that will kill Dick’s Sporting Goods. We need to build the concept that if somebody else built this store across the street from us, we’re out of business, and that’s exactly what we did.”
The strategy is paying off: the new format generates roughly $35 million in annual sales per store with strong profitability, far surpassing traditional locations. The ambitious rollout began in 2021 and has grown rapidly, with 35 House of Sport locations expected by year’s end and as many as 100 by fiscal 2027. In addition to its store expansion, Dick’s recent $2.4 billion acquisition of Foot Locker underscores its focus on footwear—a category Stack calls “the engine that pulls the train.” The company’s momentum is further fueled by youth and team sports, a $40 billion market that has proven resilient even amid economic uncertainty. With 12 straight quarters of comparable sales growth and record revenues, Dick’s attributes its strength to innovation and risk-taking.
Enjoy an interactive virtual tour of Dick’s House of Sport here.
Ahold Delhaize USA Invests $860 Million to Build Distribution Center in Burlington, N.C.
Ahold Delhaize USA, the parent company of major grocery brands like Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop, among others, has announced an $860 million investment to construct a new, state-of-the-art distribution and transportation facility in Burlington, North Carolina. The project, led by Ahold Delhaize subsidiary ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation, will expand the company’s supply chain network that serves its East Coast grocery brands. The new center will cover over one million square feet and focus on distributing fresh and frozen food items to Food Lion stores and other Ahold Delhaize USA brands.
Ahold Delhaize USA CEO JJ Fleeman said, “The investment into this facility is an investment into the customers who trust our brands to nourish their families. Through the new distribution center, ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation will expand their capacity to support Food Lion’s growth in the state, along with bringing new jobs. We’re excited to locate this facility in North Carolina and continue to grow our presence in a state where our companies have done business for more than 65 years.”
Construction of the Burlington facility is scheduled to begin in 2026, with operations expected to launch in 2029. Once fully operational, the site will employ more than 500 workers and utilize cutting-edge automation technology to enhance efficiency and meet growing customer demand. The new facility will join three existing North Carolina distribution centers located in Salisbury, Butner, and Dunn. With over 8,000 fleet assets traveling 125 million miles annually, this expansion reinforces Ahold Delhaize USA’s continued growth and its role as a major employer and economic driver in the region.
Read all about it here.
OpenTable Refreshes Loyalty Program to Reward Frequent Diners
Restaurant technology provider OpenTable has launched its newly enhanced loyalty program, OpenTable Regulars, designed to reward diners while helping restaurants attract repeat guests. The updated program introduces expanded ways to earn and redeem points, along with new status benefits that make dining out more rewarding. Free for all OpenTable users, the program allows diners to earn 100 points per completed reservation, with select bookings offering up to 1,000 points — encouraging users to book and dine more often through the platform. Diners also benefit from greater flexibility in how they redeem points. In select global markets, points can be applied toward prepaid dining experiences like pre-fixe menus, wine tastings, or special event dinners. U.S. diners can use points toward their bill at participating restaurants or exchange them for Amazon gift cards.
OpenTable Chief Growth Officer Robin Chiang said, “Restaurants depend on loyal, high-value guests, and our enhanced loyalty program is designed to deliver just that. This program is a big win for diners, too, who will benefit from even more ways to redeem points and get access to perks from OpenTable's network of restaurants and strategic partners. We will be adding more benefits over the coming year. The program is seamless to sign up for, and it's completely free.”
OpenTable is also rolling out a new Gold status tier to recognize frequent diners. Members who complete six reservations within a year will unlock Gold status, which comes with exclusive perks such as early alerts for last-minute openings through Priority Notify Me and a complimentary six-month Uber One membership in select markets.
Learn more about the OpenTable Regulars rewards program here.
Original Article Links:
As many retailers shrink their footprints, Dick’s Sporting Goods goes big
Ahold Delhaize USA Announces Plans to Build State-of-the-Art Distribution Center in Burlington, N.C.
OpenTable Unveils Revamped Loyalty Program - OpenTable Regulars - Featuring New Savings and Better Benefits for Diners