| Scheels | |
| Type: | Private |
| Industry: | Retail |
| Foundation: | in Sabin, Minnesota, United States |
| Founders: | Frederick A. Scheel |
| Area Served: | Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma and Wisconsin |
| Location: | Fargo, North Dakota, United States |
| Locations: | 34 (2024) |
| Key People: | Steve M. Scheel (CEO) |
| Products: | Apparel, sports equipment, shoes, exercise equipment |
| Services: | Sporting goods |
| Num Employees: | 8,000 (2023) |
Scheels is an American privately held, employee-owned and operated sporting goods and entertainment chain store headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. Scheels operates thirty-four store locations in sixteen U.S. states. Its slogan is "Gear. Passion. Sports."
The headquarters are located in Fargo, North Dakota, along with two stores, one traditional all-sports store, and a store focusing on home and hardware that is now in the old sports store after being in its University Drive location since 1962.
Scheels began as a hardware and general merchandise store in Sabin, Minnesota, in 1902.[1] [2] Frederick A. Scheel, a German immigrant, used the $300 he earned from his first harvest of potatoes as the down payment on the first Scheels, which was a hardware store.
Scheels started adding a small selection of sporting goods to its stores in 1954. Over the years, Scheels opened in surrounding communities, including Fargo, North Dakota. Fargo is currently the site of Scheels corporate headquarters. Scheels' first all-sports superstore opened in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1989. This store relocated to Columbia Mall in 2014.[3]
CEO Steve M. Scheel, great-grandson of Frederick A. Scheel, oversees the company of over 7,000 associates. His father, Steve D. Scheel, is the chairman of the board.[4]
Scheels owns and operates thirty-four stores in sixteen U.S. states, mostly located in the Midwest.[5] There are five stores in North Dakota, two of which are in Fargo. There are also locations in Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot.
There are five stores in Minnesota, which are located in Eden Prairie, Mankato, Moorhead, St. Cloud, and Rochester. South Dakota has two stores in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Iowa has four stores, which are located in Cedar Falls, Coralville, Sioux City, and West Des Moines. Illinois has one store, which can be found in Springfield. Nebraska, has two locations in Lincoln and Omaha. Wisconsin has two locations in Eau Claire and Appleton. Kansas has two locations in Wichita and Overland Park. Idaho has one store in Meridian.
On December 3, 2012, Scheels announced that it would be opening the company's new flagship store in Overland Park, Kansas, in the Corbin Park outdoor retail village. The store would be a 222,000-square-foot, two-story building. CEO Steve Scheel said that he had grand plans for the interior of the store. Customers will enter the store under a 16,000-gallon aquarium, complete with a coral reef and scuba divers to feed the fish daily. A 65-foot, 16-car Ferris wheel also will be in the store, in addition to sport simulators and a walk of U.S. presidents. Scheels opened its new flagship store in Overland Park, Kansas, on June 27, 2015.[6]
On July 11, 2020, Scheels opened a two-story, 250000square feet store at the Eden Prairie Center in Eden Prairie, MN.[7]
Outside of the Midwest, Montana has three Scheels locations in Billings, Missoula, and Great Falls. Utah has a location in Sandy. Colorado has two locations in Johnstown and Colorado Springs. Nevada has one location in Sparks. Oklahoma has one location under construction and set to open fall of 2024 in Tulsa.
In May 2020, the Scheels opened a location in Texas, located in The Colony. At 331000square feet, this store is the largest Scheels and largest all-sports store in the world.[8]
On May 19, 2020, Macerich announced that Scheels will open its first Arizona location at Chandler Fashion Center in the fall of 2023, replacing a vacant Nordstrom.[9]
Scheels Outfitters is a premium brand exclusive to Scheels. Merchandise is designed for field experts by "Scheels Experts."[10] This includes gear for fishing, hunting, and shooting.