They’ve donated a lot of sports equipment to poor kids and also big rigs to help deliver. I’ve always liked them and only shopped Dick’s because they were half the distance and in a hurry (only before they went off the grid). Academy will not only be a good place to shop, but good people.

I often find a reason to stop in when in El Paso. Bought a Yildiz 28-gauge over and under from them. Good outfit.

I don't think they have the right people in the C-Suites. My problem with Academy is the way the store looks inside. Like nobody is managing anything. Stuff piled everywhere. Even the sales people can't find things. Someone needs to inject a little pride and discipline into the Academy operation.

Last Christmas I saw they had a great sale on one of their Caldwell Lead Sleds. I went in; couldn't find it, and asked for help. The first guy helped me until he gave up. He passed me off to another sales guy. (A younger computer-savvy guy.) He found where they had six showing on the computer. To his credit, he stayed on the phone talking to other areas of the store, searching for the missing items, until he got hold of the right guy in back, and we found the six sleds in another area of the store, unrelated to hunting/shooting. Took almost thirty minutes, total.

I like Academy for their prices, and that is about it. I'm not going to be surprised if they go out of business in the next few years.

I'm not a Dick's fan either. Black Friday, their store here was almost empty of customers. It was eerie. I don't go to their Field & Stream either. My go-to is Cabela's, or an online search.

About 20 some years ago Academy looked like shit on a Ritz. All their stores (what were left) were in bad shape.SOMEBODY bought them out +/or made some serious changes. We'll see how this plays out.I want outdoors shops to survive as that is in our interest,even if I don't shop there frequently.(I know,they would if I would,I just don't need anything).I will say that their counter help in the gun dept. is much superior to Wal-Mart (does'nt take much).All that being said,that is why I prefer to deal with a real gun store where the counter help knows the product line + if you have any problem there is someone to talk to after the fact.Sure it costs a little more,so does peace of mind.Besides the REAL gun stores have much more interesting inventory.

Academy has Monarch 12 and 20 ga. ammo #8 shot for $4.99 a box. I use it for skeet as I refuse to buy lead shot at roughly $50 a bag! Now I do reload my 410 and 28 ga. I also bought a T/C Compass 6.5 Creedmoor there as well, as it was the same price as on line ($299.00)
Peter.

About 20 years ago or so Academy was still still basically military surplus with a little fishing and hunting gear. I don't know what happened but I am glad it did.

If my age ravaged memory is working correctly, there were Academy stores in Houston when I lived there 35+ years ago. I shopped at Carter's Country in those days, so I could be remembering some other store. I did love digging through the range brass bins at the Spring store, found all sorts of odd brass.

Our Academy here in Jacksonville on Southside Blvd carries a good deal of reloading supplies and ammo, and I'm generally impressed with the counter help in the gun department.

One clerk, in a wheelchair, knows his firearms, or at least the lines Academy carries.

I've bought a couple of Yildiz shotguns from Academy, and one AR (back when I thought Hillary was going to win); prices are competitive and sometimes they run sales.

It's tough to find loading components around here--Academy does have some, but not any serious volume in the powder department. I buy mostly from a one-man shop an hour south of here called Acme Reloading (his logo is Wilie Coyote). Owner will bring what you need to a local gun show if you ask.

Academy is about the best Big Box sporting goods store (no Cabela's nearby) and I hope they don't go the way of Dicks.

Wow,hogfarmer,Speaking of Carter Country store brings back memories of shopping there in the 70's.

Big academy fan. Their clearance prices are unbelievable.

I have adopted the minimalist lifestyle - not buying any new stuff for a long time. I have too much stuff and a lot bought at academy.

Now it’s only ammo, cleaning supplies and targets regardless of yellow clearance price tags.

Mike

From Wikipedia.

"Academy Sports & Outdoors came into existence in 1938,when Arthur Gochman and his business partner purchased Southern Sales, a San Antonio-based army-navy surplus chain comprising six stores that were by that year no longer making any profit. Gochman bought out his partner in 1973 and changed the company's business name from Southern Sales to Academy Corp. The Academy name was borrowed from his father's stores. It came from a now-defunct San Antonio Catholic school named St. Henry's Academy. Max Gochman had opened his first store across the street from the school in the 1930s, selling pre-World War II surplus goods. Later, when he moved to Austin, he used the name for his four army-navy surplus stores.

Because many University of Texas students and graduates lived in the Houston area and were familiar with the Austin stores, Max Gochman permitted his son to use the name, knowing that it would help his son's business. In 1978, the younger Gochman gave up his law practice and moved to Houston to assume active control of the company and complete the overhaul of its basic merchandising policies."

I mistakenly thought Academy's policy was to meet any price, until I went after an M&P 9-Shield last year. Academy's price was $90 higher than the identical pistol online. I asked. They declined. I asked what they charged for buying the pistol elsewhere and sending it through them. They quoted $40. I got it done for $25. Their prices can be very good, but still need to price-check them.

Ken, I can't imagine the delight of wandering around a surplus store loaded with pre-WWII stuff.
Being a Baby Boomer, I had the very great pleasure of growing up in the golden age of World War II surplus, and can still smell that scent of canvas and cosmoline that thrilled me to the core as a kid. I miss it!

I think kkr now owns academy.

I price check everything I buy at academy on amazon and academy clearance is normally much much cheaper.

Mike

Bill,how well I remember the Army+ Navy stores back then when our last war was 2.We were stationed in Hampton,close to Norfolk,VA. We had more stuff than you could count.SS daggers,Hitler youth daggers,nazi swords,medals out the ass,naval uniforms,hats + caps,WW1 knuckle duster knives,ad nauseum. A REAL plethora of armament + assoc. arcana of times past. What really gets me is remembering the prices then + what we see them going for now.But in reality,I can't buy a 57 Chevy for $400.00 today either.

The Academy store in Wichita Falls is a clean well run business. Years ago we had Gibson stores everywhere till Walmart put them out of business. But Walmart sporting can't hold a candle to Academy.

Rabbit, Walmart sporting goods departments are pathetic.
Randy, I remember that surplus so well. Barrels full of uniform patches. Barrels full of bayonets, your choice, $2. Stacks and stacks of Eisenhower jackets.