Dick's Sporting Goods Announces Grand Opening Celebration at Prefumo Creek Commons in San Luis Obispo, CA

PITTSBURGH, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S. based full-line sporting goods retailer, invites the community of San Luis Obispo to their three-day grand opening weekend. The store will open its doors on Wednesday, March 14 and begin the celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, March 16 at 9:00 a.m. at the retailer's new location at Prefumo Creek Commons, 11970 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 (805) 545-0740.  Special extended store hours will also be in effect for Friday (8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.), Saturday (8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.) and Sunday (9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Howell Marx will make a very special appearance at a 9:00 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.

Dick's Sporting Goods also has a variety of special athlete appearances and giveaways scheduled to celebrate the grand opening festivities. On Friday, the first customers through the door will receive a free Reebok t-shirt while supplies last. 

Saturday, Cleveland Browns linebacker and former Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo star Chris Gocong will be onsite from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.*  Gocong has played six seasons in the NFL and while at Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo he was a two-time All-American and the 2005 winner of Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in NCAA Division I-AA. There will also be a free Columbia t-shirt giveaway while supplies last.

Sunday's schedule will feature a Mystery Gift Card Giveaway for the first 100 customers in line, who will receive unmarked Dick's Sporting Goods gift cards in varying denominations from $5 to $500, with one person winning the $500 card (limit one per person and must be 18 years or older). There will also be a special appearance by Toby Gerhart from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.**  Gerhart plays running back for the Minnesota Vikings and was a star at Stanford University, where he was a consensus All-American and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Each day throughout the weekend, customers will also be able to register for the chance to win a $100 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card, provided by SofSole.  Additionally, there will be a Grand Opening Sweepstakes for current ScoreCard® Rewards Program members and those customers who enroll in the program during the weekend, featuring two $250 gift cards and one $500 gift card.  ScoreCard® Rewards members will also earn triple points on purchases.  There will also be activities throughout the store including product demonstrations by industry experts from Rawlings, Superfeet, Brooks and Wild Sports, among others.  More details on all promotions are available at the store location.

"Dick's Sporting Goods is excited to become a member of the San Luis Obispo community with the opening of our newest location," said Lauren Hobart, Dick's Sporting Goods Chief Marketing Officer. "With unsurpassed customer service and the best products in the industry, we are the equipment solution for athletes of all ages."

The San Luis Obispo location will be the retailer's 23rd store in the state of California and its 483rd nationwide.

Visit www.dickssportinggoodsonline.com/Grand_Open/San_Luis_Obispo/ for more grand opening details and directions.

Dick's Sporting Goods is proud to be an active member of the communities they serve through the efforts of Community Marketing and Youth Sports programs. Dick Stack, founder of Dick's Sporting Goods, believed that sports play a vital role in teaching our children fundamental values like a strong work ethic, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Stack understood that supporting the organizations that make youth sports possible is the best way to promote those values. Today, that legacy continues. Dick's Sporting Goods shares the same enthusiasm for and commitment to youth sports in our communities. This year, through its Community Youth Sports Program, Dick's Sporting Goods will donate thousands of coach's equipment kits to youth sports organizations across select markets – reaching over a million athletes.  For more information about Dick's Sporting Goods Community Marketing and the programs they offer, please contact Nick Norton at [email protected] or visit http://dickssportinggoods.sponsorport.com/.

* Beginning at 8:00 a.m. local time, 250 wristbands will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the store on the day of event only.  Limit one wristband and one autograph per person.  Fans must have a wristband and must be in the Special Appearance line by 1:00 p.m. to receive an autograph.  Times and appearances are subject to change without notice. See store for details.

** Beginning at 9:00 a.m. local time, 250 wristbands will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the store on the day of event only.  Limit one wristband and one autograph per person.  Fans must have a wristband and must be in the Special Appearance line by 12:00 NOON to receive an autograph.  Times and appearances are subject to change without notice. See store for details.

About Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear in a specialty store environment. The Company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, LLC, a golf specialty retailer. As of March 6, 2012, the Company operated more than 480 Dick's Sporting Goods stores in 43 states, more than 80 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and e-commerce web sites and catalog operations for both Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. news releases are available at http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/investors. The Company's web site is not part of this release.

Media Information:
Ross Kleinberg, Catalyst Public Relations for Dick's Sporting Goods
[email protected]
212-714-7911

SOURCE Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.