Hat World, Inc., a subsidiary of Genesco Inc., plans a re-branding campaign designed to leverage its LIDS retail brand across the three major divisions of its business. The move includes renaming its Sports Fan-Attic and Impact Sports businesses.
Hat World operates more than 900 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet stores nationwide and in Canada and Puerto Rico, primarily under the LIDS retail brand, and sells headwear and related accessories through its websites, www.lids.com and www.lids.ca.
The 37 Sports Fan-Attic stores, featuring licensed sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties acquired by Hat World in 2009, will be converted to LIDS Locker Room stores. Hat World currently operates seven LIDS Locker Room stores.
In addition, the rebranding campaign includes the Impact Sports business, which will be known as LIDS Team Sports. Hat World acquired Impact Sports, a full service team dealer, custom screen printer, embroidery and sporting goods distributor, in 2008. A new LIDS Team Sports logo and website, www.lidsteamsports.com, were unveiled as part of the announcement.
“Under the LIDS brand umbrella, we are building three, interrelated businesses †the hat business, the fan-oriented specialty chain, and the wholesale team sport business,” said Hat World President Kenneth J. Kocher. “Our goal is to have the customer think of LIDS first †whether they are thinking about the teams they play for or the teams they root for. We see lots of synergies in the way we market to this customer †for example, with loyalty programs that reward consumers for their overall business with LIDS and with a common customer database supporting cross-selling capabilities.”
