Katy-based Academy Sports + Outdoors is gearing up for a fresh growth spurt in fiscal 2026, with plans to open 20 to 25 new stores. The move extends a national expansion that saw the retailer roll out 24 locations last year, mixing entries into brand-new markets with fresh stores in states where it already has a foothold, including more openings across Texas.
According to the Houston Business Journal, Academy has already locked in its first two sites for 2026, and the broader rollout is expected to feature multiple Texas additions. Local coverage notes that this is the latest phase in an accelerated store-opening program the company has been running over the past three years.
First 2026 Sites And Community Ties
In a March 10 press release distributed via PR Newswire, Academy said its initial Q1 2026 stores will land in North Canton, Ohio, and Muskogee, Oklahoma. Together, those two locations are expected to generate roughly 120 jobs. The company also highlighted more than $10,000 in local donations tied to the openings. “We’re focused on extending our footprint with intention,” Senior Vice President Eric Friederich said in the announcement.
How Big Is The Push?
Academy opened 24 new stores in fiscal 2025, a benchmark reported by the Houston Chronicle, and management is now targeting another 20 to 25 locations in fiscal 2026. Those additions pushed the chain past the 300-store mark, with Texas emerging as one of the biggest winners in last year’s expansion wave.
Strategy: Stores Plus E-Commerce
Executives have told investors that new stores double as local fulfillment hubs for buy-online-pickup-in-store and other omnichannel offerings, a setup that helps tie digital traffic to physical checkout. Roughly 80% of the upcoming locations are expected to open in legacy or existing markets, with about 20% in newer territories, according to an earnings transcript cited by Investing.com. That strategy underscores why the retailer is still adding brick-and-mortar sites even as it builds out its online business…