Dunham’s Sports, a well-known sporting goods retailer with around 259 stores across the Midwest, is expanding southward with a new location planned for Santa Fe, New Mexico. This marks the brand’s first-ever store in the state.
In April, it was confirmed that Dunham’s Sports would be moving into the Santa Fe Place Mall, taking over the former space occupied by Conn’s HomePlus. The new store is expected to open by the end of 2025, according to Albuquerque Business First.
Dunham’s Sports currently operates in 25 states and has grown steadily since its founding in Michigan back in 1937. The retailer is known for offering athletic gear, casual and sports footwear, as well as hunting, fishing, and camping equipment.
Antonio Chavez, the General Manager of Santa Fe Place Mall, said Dunham’s Sports would also take over an adjacent vacant unit, combining the two spaces into a 60,000 square-foot retail location. This would make it one of the largest tenants in the mall. Chavez added that the new store would help keep local shoppers in Santa Fe, reducing the need to travel to Albuquerque for similar products.
No specific timeline has been shared for the grand opening. The US Sun has reached out to Dunham’s Sports for further details.
The move into the Santa Fe mall comes as a reminder of the retail struggles that led to Conn’s HomePlus filing for bankruptcy on July 23, 2024. The long-standing retailer, with over 130 years of history, cited falling sales and a decline in consumer spending as key reasons for its financial collapse. Its total debt was listed at approximately $1.9 billion.
Initially, Conn’s HomePlus planned to close about 73 locations as part of a restructuring strategy. However, the company later announced that it would shutter all of its over 170 stores across 15 states. Some shoppers expressed sadness over the closures, while others said they had long predicted the retailer’s downfall due to pricing and inventory issues.
Conn’s HomePlus had acquired WS Badcock in 2023, which operated under the Badcock Home Furniture & More brand. This led to an additional 380 store closures under that name.
The collapse of Conn’s is part of a larger trend in the retail world. Several well-known chains have filed for bankruptcy or announced mass closures in the past year. Big Lots filed in September and later confirmed it would keep just over 130 stores after a wave of closures and sales. Fast fashion brand Forever 21 filed for its second bankruptcy in March and is expected to shut down all remaining locations.
Joann Fabric and Crafts has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to close all its stores by the end of May. Meanwhile, Macy’s, though not filing for bankruptcy, has revealed plans to close around 150 stores over the next few years as it adjusts its business model.
Retail is clearly going through major changes, with new brands like Dunham’s Sports stepping in to take over spaces left behind by longtime chains. While some shoppers are excited about new openings, others feel the end of these familiar stores is the end of an era.
