Hopkins Sporting Goods, which has been acknowledged as Iowas oldest sporting goods store, has reportedly acquired Sunflower Wrestling Inc., which distributes wrestling gear through the Internet and a direct-to-consumer catalog. A local newspaper report indicated that Hopkins has already moved the Kansas-based Sunflower to its Des Moines, Iowa facility and expects to add three additional employees to help manage the new wrestling inventory and orders.
Hopkins Sporting Goods has been in business since 1892 and has 30 employees between two locations in Des Moines and Ankeny, Iowa. Sunflower Wrestling was founded by Darin Goodrum, a former collegiate wrestler and wrestling coach, in August 1996. The company launched its online wrestling store in July 2001.
