Herman’s World of Sporting Goods was a

sporting goods Sports equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear, which varies in shapes, size, and usage in a particular sport. It includes balls, nets, rackets, protective gears like helmets, goggles, etc. Since the p ...

retailer in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Founded in 1916 by Herman and Eddie Steinlauf as a music store in Nassau Street,

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan, also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York City, is the southernmost part of the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The neighborhood is History of New York City, the historical birthplace o ...

, the company expanded into sporting goods and grew to multiple locations in the New York metropolitan area, including East 42nd Street, East

34th Street 34th Street most commonly refers to 34th Street (Manhattan) 34th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It runs the width of Manhattan Island from the West Side Highway on the West Side to FDR Drive on t ...

, and

Paramus, New Jersey Paramus ( Waggoner, Walter H, ''The New York Times'', February 16, 1966. Accessed October 16, 2018. "Paramus – pronounced puh-RAHM-us, with the accent on the second syllable – may have taken its name from 'perremus' or 'perymus,' Indian for ...

History

In 1970, Herman's was sold to W. R. Grace and Company as a four-store chain. Leonard Steinlauf, who had expanded to a fourth store in Paramus, resisted the sale, preferring to develop a national chain of sporting goods superstores. Despite his objections, he sold his 25% share and later became CEO, but his tenure lasted less than ten years due to strained relations with W.R. Grace. In 1985, Dee Corporation acquired Herman's and expanded westward by purchasing M&H Sporting Goods in 1986. By 1992, Herman's operated 259 stores in 35 states. The company was sold to the Taggert/Fasola Group in 1993, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to excessive debt from acquisitions. The company closed stores outside of the Northeast, though it retained profitable locations. Herman's emerged from Chapter 11 in September 1994 with 103 units in the

Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, Rhod ...

. Despite efforts to revitalize, Herman's faced financial difficulties and filed for Chapter 11 again on April 26, 1996. The company eventually liquidated its stores, with regional competitor Modell's Sporting Goods acquiring 16 locations. Herman's main executive offices and warehouse were located in Carteret, New Jersey.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herman's World Of Sporting Goods Retail companies established in 1916 Companies based in Middlesex County, New Jersey Sporting goods retailers of the United States Defunct retail companies of the United States Defunct companies based in New Jersey Retail companies disestablished in 1996 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1993 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996