Golf Galaxy Plans Growth

NEW YORK CITY-Golf Galaxy still has plenty of room to grow, executives said yesterday here at the Stephens Inc. Consumer Conference, and they foresee opening a total of 250 stores nationwide. The company, which operates 51 stores in 21 states, plans 14 to 16 new units this year.

Golf Galaxy does not currently have a presence in big golfing states such as Arizona, California and Florida, so a lot of expansion could take place in those locales, says Randy Zanatta, president and chief executive officer. “We have a lot of growth ahead,” he says.

Golf Galaxy has been on pace to open about 16 stores a year, but could bump that number up to 20, Zanatta says. One reason the company has so much opportunity, he says, is because the golf-retailing sector is fragmented, with the largest player only accounting for 4% of sales.