Academy Sports hosts grand opening celebration
Published 7:31 pm Friday, November 15, 2024
Ziah Crawford of the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi looks through an assortment of Stanley Cups Thursday evening while deciding what to purchase with a $200 gift card she received from Academy Sports as part of its grand opening celebration. Photo by Glenda Sanders
Meridian High School’s drumline performs Friday morning during the grand opening celebration of Academy Sports + Outdoors in Meridian Crossroads. Photo by Glenda Sanders
Twenty youth from the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi received a $200 shopping spree from Academy Sports + Outdoor as part of its four-day grand opening celebration. Photo by Glenda Sanders
Jaiden Brown, left, tries on a pair of Giannis basketball shoes at the new Academy Sports + Outdoors store in Meridian Crossroads while his dad Lendrey Brown watches. Photo by Glenda Sanders
Kevin Brown looks through University of Alabama apparel during a $200 shopping spree he received from the new Academy Sports + Outdoors store in Meridian Crossroads. Photo by Glenda Sanders
Management and staff of the new Academy Sports + Outdoors store in Meridian Crossroads celebrate the grand opening with a ribbon cutting Friday morning. Photo by Glenda Sanders
Academy Sports + Outdoors officially cut the ribbon Friday morning on its new store in Meridian Crossroads as a long line of shoppers stretched down the sidewalk past the entrance to Hobby Lobby.
Although the store began holding a soft opening at the beginning of the week, Academy launched its four-day grand opening celebration Thursda
y by donating a $5,000 shopping spree to the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi. Then on Friday morning, the store’s management and employees gathered outside to officially cut the ribbon opening the store, while the Meridian High School Army JROTC Color Guard, band and choir performed.
Grace Carter, senior public relations specialist for Academy’s Texas headquarters, said the week-long celebration was going great.
“Everyone seems super excited to have us in the community, so it’s been a warm welcome for sure, and we are equally excited to serve the Meridian community and help people have fun out there,” she said.
Located at 115 South Frontage Road, the 55,000-square-foot store will employ approximately 60 workers. Academy’s ninth location in Mississippi, the store will offer a wide selection of sporting goods, athletic and outdoor clothing and shoes, and workout equipment.
To celebrate the grand opening, Academy hosted the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi on Thursday evening.
“To celebrate the grand opening of Academy Sports in Meridian, we’re hosting a give back with the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi,” Carter said. “Twenty kids will receive $200 gift cards to shop the store for whatever they like, and additionally we will be donating $1,000 to the organization for any other needed equipment they may need to purchase.”
Ziah Crawford, a third grader, said she was excited to have a $200 gift card to spend as she searched through an assortment of Stanley Cups to find the color she wanted.
Meanwhile, Kevin Brown knew the first item on his list, a new pair of Crocs slip-on shoes.
“I feel great and I feel special,” Jaiden Brown said of receiving his gift card.
While it was hard trying to decide what to buy with the card, Jaiden said he knew one thing he wanted, a pair of Giannis basketball shoes.
“I like Giannis a lot,” he said.
Academy’s grand opening celebration will continue Saturday and Sunday with interactive demonstrations by brands sold at Academy, gift card giveaways to the first 150 customers each day, an in-store scavenger hunt and limited-time deals all weekend.
