New franchise locations are underway in New York (Port Chester and Syracuse) and Norwalk, CT. The golf-entertainment venue operates 34 locations in 15 states and five countries, with a reported over 50 in development.
Author: SGB Media

KTB Increases Helly Hansen Outlook; Sees Brand Adding $50M to 2025 Cash Flow
Kontoor Brands, which agreed to acquire Helly Hansen in February, slightly lowered its sales outlook for the year as first-quarter sales missed Wall Street’s targets due to flat sales in its core denim business, comprising of Wrangler and Lee. The firm kept its EPS guidance although it expects a $50 million negative impact on operating income from recently enacted changes in tariffs not yet included in the updated guidance.

The Lycra Company Promotes Melissa Riggs to Chief Marketing Officer
Riggs brings over two decades of brand-building experience in consumer packaged goods and the apparel and footwear industries to her new role, including experience with the Gore-Tex brand.

Duluth Trading Outlines Inducement Grant Agreement with New CEO
The company granted a total of 1,759,532 shares of Class B common stock to the new chief executive pursuant to the terms of the Inducement Stock Award Agreement and the Inducement Restricted Stock Award Agreement.

REI Co-op Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Shannon Damen joins the company from Gap, Inc., where, most recently, she was the global head of real estate and held roles as chief financial officer and chief commerce & experience officer at Athleta.

Boot Barn Holdings Removes “Interim” from John Hazen’s CEO Title
Hazen has served as the company’s interim CEO since November 2024. In October 2024, Boot Barn reported that then-CEO James Conroy was leaving the retailer to become CEO of Ross Stores.

Nike, Inc. Names Amy Montagne Nike Brand President as Heidi O’Neill Retires
Amy Montagne was named president, Nike Brand; Phil McCartney appointed EVP and chief innovation, design & product officer; Nicole Graham appointed EVP and CMO; and Tom Clarke named chief growth initiatives officer.

Pickleball Kingdom Franchise Opening in Manchester, CT
Spanning 30,681 square feet and featuring 10 professional-grade indoor courts, led by franchise group Pickleball X Equity, the member-based club will open in late 2025

Cascade Designs Taps Mindful Sales for New England Region
Founded in 2022 by Patrick Manzer, headquartered in Kennebunk, ME, Mindful Outdoor Sales assumes responsibility for the six-state region of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, succeeding longtime rep Chris Lathrop, who is retiring after a three-decade-long career in the outdoor industry.

Rab Names New Sales Agency for North Central U.S.
End2End founded in 2017 by outdoor sales rep Connor Larsen in Austin, TX, will represent the company in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

EXEC: Analysts Offer Take on Skechers USA Going Private in $9.4 Billion Deal
Amid significant uncertainty in the marketplace caused by the President’s trade war, Skechers USA agreed to be acquired by private equity firm 3G Capital for $9.4 billion in a move that will end its 26-year run in the public markets. The sale announcement follows a decision by Skechers not to offer full-year guidance in April due to trade uncertainties with shoe companies highly exposed to President Trump’s tariffs.

OrderMyGear Promotes Drew Simon to VP of Engineering
In his new role, Simon will evolve the technical platform to support advanced functionality and to unify OMG’s solution portfolio. Simon will also oversee platform stability and ongoing improvements across OMG’s services.

Gold’s Gym Closes Last Two Locations in El Paso
Gold’s Gym’s El Paso Instagram account states, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have made the difficult decision to close our Gold’s Gym locations in El Paso.”

Kona Bicycles Taps Charles Russell to Lead Sales & Marketing
Russell reportedly lived and worked in Europe, Canada and the U.S. for a range of global bike brands, including Rocky Mountain Bicycles, Yeti Cycles and Cannondale, “giving him a unique perspective on building global brand recognition and demand.”

NSSF: Adjusted NICS Background Checks Decline Again in April 2025
The 3.4 percent decline for the month continues a downward trend since October 2024, with the exception of a small bump in January 2025.