Sports Basement plans to open a three-story location in downtown Sacramento. The company reached an agreement to move into the long-dormant Bank of America building at Eighth and I streets. It will represent the retailer's 5th store.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Sports Basement offered the only bid in an auction held by Sacramento County, the building's owner. It offered the minimum bid of $4.5 million. A letter prepared by the city in support of Sports Basement's bid said the store will employ about 60 people, generate sales of at least $10 million annually and produce more than $800,000 in sales taxes. The store is expected to offer nearly 70,000 square feet of space.
The company, founded in 1998, has four stores in the San Franscisco Bay area. They include two stores in San Francisco, and one each in Walnut Creek and Sunnyvale.
They range in size from 40,000 to about 90,000 square feet, and sell camping, hiking and snow gear as well as equipment and clothing for runners, cyclists and other sports enthusiasts, at discounted prices.
