Dive Brief:

• Dick's Sporting Goods on Tuesday said it was launching a new off-price concept — dubbed Going, Going, Gone — adding to a slew of other store concepts the retailer has launched recently.

• The store will offer "surprising deals on unique finds in footwear and apparel from the brands customers have enjoyed shopping" at Dick's over the years, according to a company press release.

• Dick's is opening two of the stores, both at the end of May, in Indiana and Pennsylvania. At the same time, Dick's announced that it's expanding the Warehouse Sale format to another store, and also opening several redesigned Golf Galaxy stores as well as experiential Soccer Shops within current Dick's stores.

Dive Insight:

Dick's is yet again debuting a new store concept, a trend that has taken shape over the past few months as the retailer revamps its current stores and tests out new formats.

The move to clearance-based concepts started in June last year, while the pandemic was in full swing across the U.S. At that time, the retailer announced two new store formats, Overtime and Warehouse Sale, both aimed at selling products for a discount. The retailer has since expanded on those initial launches, opening more Warehouse Sale locations over the months.

In addition to clearance, Dick's has been busy with testing new ideas for how to best get its products to consumers. In November, Executive Chairman and Chief Merchandising Officer Ed Stack (then-CEO) announced the company was working on an outdoors concept dubbed Public Lands, which is set to launch in the second half of this year. Since then, the retailer has also debuted its experiential House of Sport format, which features a turf field and track, a climbing wall, and wellness services like yoga, among other things.

Much of Dick's revamps seem focused on bringing a more elevated customer experience to its physical locations. While House of Sport is centered on the community, with services and amenities that customers can use throughout the year, the retailer is also making changes to its Golf Galaxy stores to include experiential elements like hitting bays, golf lessons, and TrackMan and BioMech technologies.

Current Dick's Sporting Goods stores are also getting an upgrade, with the retailer adding high-service Soccer Shops to some of its stores, which feature expanded cleat shops and employees specifically trained in soccer equipment available to help customers.

All this is on top of changes the retailer has been making to enhance its private label offering, including launching its men's private label VRST in March and signing on celebrities like DeVonta Smith to rep its owned brands.