LIDS Hat Blog

LIDS Sports Group, NFL Gear Up for Super Bowl XLVII Retail Experience

-- Company to operate the 30,000 square foot NFL SHOP at Super Bowl Presented by Visa --
-- Pop up location will offer shop-in-shop elements as well as interactive fan activities --

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., January 22, 2013 – LIDS Sports Group, the Indianapolis-based operator of the North American LIDS retail chain, in collaboration with the National Football League, is pleased to announce its plans for this year’s NFL Experience Driven by GMC concessions business – the NFL SHOP at Super Bowl Presented by Visa. In an innovative spin on the traditional concept for this venue, the retailer has switched gears to focus on creating a fan destination for Super Bowl-goers to include the industry’s latest offerings in product customization and entertainment features. The 30,000 square foot pop up shop will be open to the public from January 25 through February 4, 2013.

“We are truly excited for this opportunity to make a statement of how our retail game plan is constantly evolving, and to showcase that we are able magnify what we do every day in our more than 1,000 LIDS and LIDS Locker Room locations to meet Super Bowl fan expectations for years to come,” said LIDS Sports Group President Ken Kocher.

“This is another example of our determination to prove LIDS Sports Group is a major stakeholder in more than just the headwear category.” The specialty retailer and all-inclusive team sports dealer, primarily known for its headwear stores, has been recently fueling its growth through a more localized, team-specific storefront banner with product selections such as jerseys, fan apparel and team-branded novelty items.

“In looking for a world class leader to help us achieve our retail objectives for the NFL Experience in New Orleans, LIDS’ offerings and willingness to push the envelope to provide a unique fan experience stood out – as is evident in their expanding event retailing efforts,” said Leo Kane, NFL senior vice president of consumer products. “We are excited to work with LIDS to deliver to our fans more ways to celebrate their teams and Super Bowl XLVII.”

The NFL Experience shop will offer sports enthusiasts a wide variety of officially licensed Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Super Bowl XLVII apparel and memorabilia, ranging from the latest fashion trends to on-field gear.

Key NFL SHOP at Super Bowl Presented by Visa retail elements and logistics:

- Player Appearances and Celebrity Interaction Opportunities

- Interactive Features: XBOX Gaming Area, Tailgate Toss, Fathead Photo Booth, and Fitted Test

- LIDS Custom Zone: Custom Embroidery, Custom Screen Printing on Jerseys, Special Event Patches, Personalized Key Chains and Custom Photo Souvenir Footballs

- Limited Edition Product Offerings – Limited Quantities

- Shop-in-Shop Partners: Nike, New Era, G-III and Touch by Alyssa Milano, Fathead, Tervis Tumblers, EA Sports, Mitchell & Ness and ’47 Brand

- NFL SHOP at Super Bowl Presented by Visa hours of operation will be: 
    Date                                                                     Hours of Operation 
    Friday, Jan. 25 through Sunday, Jan. 27             10:00 AM to 7:00 PM 
    Monday, Jan. 28 through Tuesday, Jan. 29         CLOSED
    Wednesday, Jan. 30 through Saturday, Feb.2    10:00 AM to 10:00 PM 
    Sunday, Feb. 3                                                     8:00 AM to 3:00 PM 
    Monday, Feb. 4                                                     8:00 AM  to 2:00 PM


Additionally, LIDS Sports Group will manage other prime locations under the NFL SHOP at Super Bowl Presented by LIDS retail banner in the greater New Orleans area – the French Quarter, Riverwalk, and NFL host hotels – to satisfy customer demand throughout the city leading up to this NFL season’s championship game.


ABOUT LIDS SPORTS GROUP
The LIDS Sports Group, operating within Hat World, Inc., is comprised of the LIDS retail headwear stores, the LIDS Locker Room specialty fan retail chain, the LIDS Clubhouse retail stores, the LIDS Team Sports wholesale team sports business, and the Internet businesses www.lids.com, www.lidslockerroom.com, wwwlidsclubhouse.com, www.lidsteamsports.com and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Indianapolis, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,000 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded headwear of collegiate teams, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories in the latest styles and colors. LIDS Locker Room is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties which also operates under the Sports Fan-Attic and Sports Avenue retail concepts. Most LIDS and LIDS Locker Room stores also offer custom embroidery capability. LIDS Clubhouse operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce sites. LIDS Team Sports is a full-service team uniform and apparel dealer, custom screen printer, embroidery and sporting goods distributor. Hat World, Inc. is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.


Twitter – @LIDS4Hats   @LIDSPR   #LIDSSBXLVII     
LIDS Mobile – Text LIDSSB47 to 477493 for Super Bowl XLVII Offers

RELEASE: LIDS Sports Group to Acquire Retail Stores from Fanatics, Inc.

FansEdge and Football Fanatics retail locations in Chicago, Jacksonville and Oklahoma markets to be rebranded under the Locker Room by LIDS retail banner

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., October 31, 2012 – The LIDS retail division, a multi-channel business unit of Indianapolis-based LIDS Sports Group, has reached an agreement with Florida-based Fanatics, Inc. to purchase 12 brick-and-mortar retail stores, comprised of nine FansEdge locations in the Greater Chicago area as well as one in Oklahoma and two Football Fanatics in Jacksonville, Fla.

Through this agreement the locations will be rebranded under the Locker Room by LIDS retail banner, to include region-specific storefronts such as Chicago Locker Room and Oklahoma Locker Room.  “We continue to look for opportunities to expand the LIDS brand, and this acquisition allows us the opportunity to align these new additions – which are positioned in great sports communities – with our evolving sports apparel retail concepts,” said LIDS Sports Group President Ken Kocher.

ABOUT LIDS SPORTS GROUP
The LIDS Sports Group, operating within Hat World, Inc., is comprised of the LIDS retail headwear stores, the LIDS Locker Room specialty fan retail chain, the LIDS Clubhouse retail stores, the LIDS Team Sports wholesale team sports business, and the Internet businesses www.lids.com, www.lidslockerroom.com, wwwlidsclubhouse.com, www.lidsteamsports.com and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Indianapolis, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,000 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded headwear of collegiate teams, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories in the latest styles and colors. LIDS Locker Room is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties which also operates under the Sports Fan-Attic and Sports Avenue retail concepts. Most LIDS and LIDS Locker Room stores also offer custom embroidery capability. LIDS Clubhouse operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce sites. LIDS Team Sports is a full-service team uniform and apparel dealer, custom screen printer, embroidery and sporting goods distributor. Hat World, Inc. is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.

“In our mission to establish the LIDS brand as a one-stop shop for the fan, participant or both, this agreement offers LIDS Sports Group the chance to further expose the many other layers of our business to sports enthusiasts who are predominately only familiar with our headwear side,” said Kocher.

The LIDS Sports Group retail division will introduce its Custom Zone in-store customization capabilities to the recently acquired locations, which will carry an assortment of local and regional product offerings of officially licensed apparel and merchandise.  Customers will also be able to take advantage of the company’s gift card and LIDS Club loyalty card programs at each location.

The Campbell-Cardinals Tradition

By Glenn Campbell, Hat World/LIDS Co-Founder & Executive Vice President, @Wear_a_lid on Twitter

In 1970, when I was five years old, my dad took me to my first St. Louis Cardinals game.  In those days Lou Brock and Bob Gibson were in their prime, coming off of three World Series appearances in six years and winning two (very reminiscent of what just took place these last six years).  I was hooked.  Little did I know though at that young age it would take my beloved Redbirds 12 long years to get back to the World Series. 

For their next appearance, I was a junior in high school and was actually able to celebrate a World Series win.  I’ll never forget it.  The Cardinals then went on to play in the World Series in ‘85 and ‘87, however the team failed to clinch the championship both times and suffered painful loses in Game 7 of each.  Again, little did I know it would be 17 more years until the Cardinals were in another World Series (2004). This time I was 38 years old, married with four children; a stark contrast to being 22 and fresh out of college in ‘87.  The great thing about ’04 was that I had the opportunity to take my dad and return the favor from 34 years earlier, when he passed his love for the Cardinals on to me.

Now I fast forward to what just happened this season.  For Cardinals fans alike it’s already been documented how crazy a month it was, from being virtually out of contention with mere weeks left in the season to winning their 11^th World Series in franchise history.  This latest victory put the team in the top spot for most championships in the National League, and second in the sport overall just behind only the New York Yankees. 

Moments like these are so unpredictable, yet I tried to take advantage of every opportunity to share this experience with my family.  This year my wife and I took our 4 kids to multiple playoff and World Series games in St. Louis, and even had the opportunity to make it to Milwaukee and Texas for games.  Hopefully years from now our kids will understand how special this October was, and they will feel the same nostalgia that I did in 1970 when my dad took me to my first game.  And so the Campbell-Cardinals tradition continues…

A Redbirds fan without an official team cap? Not if we have anything to say about it. lids.com is your headquarters for St. Louis Cardinals hats, and all your favorite MLB team hats and accessories. LIDS has a complete selection of St. Louis Cardinals hats--including Authentic Collection, Franchise and more--in all the sizes and colors you need to support your Cards.

New MLB Styles

The MLB season is well underway and LIDS wants to make sure you have everything you need for the ball park, including a great new cap! Whether you're looking to support your favorite team or simply trying to shade yourself from the sun, LIDS has several new FORTY SEVEN BRAND easy fit styles for you this season.

You can check out the new selection of FORTY SEVEN BRAND caps below and visit your local LIDS store or lids.com to purchase today!

 

MLB Ashcroft Franchise

This cap is dark charcoal with heavy stitching.  The Team Logo is featured in the same dark charcoal color layered on top of felt in the team's color.

 

MLB Rosin Franchise

A faded, dark grey cap, the Rosin has a black embroidered logo with a dark grey outline.  This black on grey cap has a clean, classic look.

 

MLB Double Switch Franchise

The Double Switch features a natural colored logo and screen printed mascot on the front panels.  Like the logos, the cap's cool mesh back panel is a natural color.

 

MLB Cool Down Franchise

This cap is made of grey light canvas and features the team's color embroidered logo in their primary color with their secondary color outline.

 

Baseball is back and we've got the hats to match!

Yesterday it was 68 degrees in Indianapolis...last week it was 1 degree.  Yes, honestly, one single degree.  I actually have hope for the first time in a very long time that spring is on it's way! 

Spring weather also means Spring Training which means BASEBALL IS BACK!!  With the start of a new season, we have lots of new styles arriving and many more scheduled to arrive soon.  Below are some of our favorites for you to check out.  More importantly though, we want to know what you think!  Which is your favorite?  Do you have ideas for future designs?  Are there any patterns or colors that you'd like to see?

Let us know your thoughts and stick around...we'll post when SNAPBACKS arrive again!

MLB 59Fifty Bois
This solid colored New Era 59Fifty features an over sized logo on the front middle panels with the team's alternate team logo over the embroidery.  This is available in both team color and black. 

MLB 59Fifty 2-Tone City
We've had soooo many requests to bring back the City Series program from several years ago.  Back by popular request, the MLB 59Fifty 2-Tone City is an updated take on this program.  Umm...can you say fresh?  We can!  You asked and we listened...now you can rep your city and your team with this hat.

MLB 59Fifty Realtree Camo
Camo is another request that we continuously hear from our fashion customers.  This Realtree camouflage cap is available in three colors: brown, camo/khaki, and black. You might be invisible to some, but you can't hide your style with this cap.

MLB Kelly Franchise
Get ready for St. Patrick's Day with this kelly green franchise hat featuring the same great fit and a festive shamrock on the back.  Get this cap before you get pinched!

          
MLB Dublin Franchise
Whether your Irish and celebrating your heritage or pretending to be Irish for the day, this is another perfect hat to celebrate the upcoming holiday.  It also features a green shamrock on the back of the cap.

          
Cleveland Indians Authentic Collection Alternate Home
This is a brand new cap for the Cleveland Indians for the 2011-12 season.  Don't let your collection get behind, add this to your own Authentic Collection today!

The Official "Brand" of the Fan

As LIDS works with hat manufacturers to ensure we carry the hottest fashions in the latest trends, we periodically like to check out in more detail the background of each product line.  With a great tie into the American past-time, we look at '47 Brand (formerly Twins Enterprise, Inc.) - a company that has been able to get baseball fans game ready for over six decades. 

Dubbed "The Official Hat of the Fan," the brand's early beginnings stem from the streets just outside of Fenway Park in Boston, Mass., in 1947. As the numerous baseball stadiums around the country provide a field of dreams for scores of players, the launch of the company now known as ’47 Brand was its own dream for two young entrepreneurs.  Twin teens Arthur and Henry D’Angelo created the foundation for their company through the selling of pennants, which they created themselves, to fans attending Red Sox games.  As demand increased for additional Red Sox souvenirs, the duo officially set up shop across the street from the entrance to the ballpark.  From there business took off and as they say, the rest is history!  Today the Company is best known for its signature worn-in look, “the Franchise,” which has become a popular choice for those sportin’ the ball cap nationwide (See past LIDS blog posts regarding singer Kenny Chesney and make-up artist Bobbi Brown).

Having grown immensely from the early days outside Fenway Park, today ‘47 Brand has a presence in sports stadiums, college bookstores as well as LIDS locations across the U.S.

Check out this video to see the progression of the company that is now ’47 Brand!  Also visit lids.com or most LIDS locations to pick up the newest '47 Brand products including the Cornerstone Franchise!

Source: '47 Brand

Max Out Your Style with Nike Air Max & Killer Caps

Journeys (our sister store) recently posted a picture of a their new Nike Air Max shoes on their Facebook page.  My first thought was "I gotta get to Journeys to get a pair," but my next thought immediately got me searching for hats that would compliment these sneakers.  Nothing pulls together a look like coordinating shoes and hats!  Nobody wants to look like they've tried too hard, but this is an effortless way to look 

Below are a few that we liked, but we also want to know what you would pair with these sneakers.  Do you match your shoes and hats to your look?  Feel free to upload some pics of your complimentary shoes and hats on our Facebook page or send us a Twitpic on Twitter.  We'll post the links back on the blog for others to see.

Check out the hats featured above:

1.  Kansas City Royals Authentic Collection hat from New Era
2.  New York Yankees MLB 2 Face-II hat from New Era
3.  Milwaukee Brewers Cooperstown Franchise hat from Twins
4.  Detroit Tigers MLB Pinwheel 09 hat from New Era
5.  Duke Blue Devils NCAA Sabotage hat from Top of the World
6.  Butler Bulldogs NCAA PC hat from Top of the World

LIDS Hats - Beach Bag Necessity

In the March issue of Coastal Living, the LIDS Rutgers Scarlet Knights Brushback NCAA Franchise hat (below) was pictured in the magazine's "What's in your beach bag?" feature on Bobbi Brown, makeup artist as well as Founder and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. A representative of the magazine contacted the LIDS Public Relations Department to acquire images of the hat upon hearing it made Bobbi's beach tote list. Apparently when this Jersey girl is not adding to her "no-makeup look" line or discussing beauty secrets with TV show hosts, she proudly supports the local team.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Brushback NCAA Franchise hat

Lids.ca is Now Open!

Many of our Canadian customers have been waiting a long time for a Lids Canadian website.  Well, my friends, the wait is over!  We are excited to announce the introduction of lids.ca!  We are pumped to offer this additional convenience for all of our hat-loving Canadians, eh!

Lids.ca will look and feel like the current Lids website; however, you'll notice a few great features that we hope will make your life easier.  

• Lids.ca displays pricing in Canadian dollars--no need for your currency converter here.
• Lids.ca offers FREE shipping to your local Canadian store.  Simply order online and choose which store you'd like to pick your order up.  We'll ship it to your local store at no cost to you and an associate will contact you when your order has arrived.
• Lids.ca rewards you with FREE ground shipping when you purchase $60 or more. 
• Lids.ca is DUTY FREE! All orders are shipped from our Canadian Distribution Center so no duty will be charged to your order.

While lids.ca offers many great new features for our Canadian customers, you'll still see the latest and greatest assortment of hats and caps and superior customer service that you've come to expect.  We're dedicated to bringing you Your Team, Your Style, Your Size!

Check out lids.ca and leave us a comment on your thoughts.  Thanks to all of our loyal customers, wherever you may be.

Trend Watch: Top Ten Best-Selling Hat Styles at Lids

Welcome to a new feature on the Lids Blog, where we report to you on the Top Ten Best-Selling Hats and Hat Styles at lids.com.  Today, we'll present the top sellers by Hat Style. 

For the week of September 20th, Lids customers were feeling nostalgic, making our MLB Coop collection the best-selling style.  As we told you last week on the blog, we just brought these hats back and added additional styles.  It proved a popular move.

1.  New Era MLB Coop

     

 

2.  59Fifty MLB C-Dub

         

 

3.  New Era MLB Authentic Collection

        

 

4.  New Era MLB Twisted

      

 

5.  New Era NCAA 2-Tone 59Fifty

      

 

6.  Twins NCAA Franchise

        

 

7.  Twins MLB Franchise

     

 

8.  New Era MLB Black & White

     

 

9.  Nike MLB Wool Classic

      

 

10.  New Era NCAA AC 59Fifty

        

Remember to check back and find out what individual hats Lids.com customers are buying the most.  Will your hat or team make the best seller list?  What's your favorite cap style and what do you think will rule the charts next time?  Give us your feedback below.

Kenny Chesney and the Franchise Hat

Kenny Chesney is in Indianapolis for his final concert of the year tomorrow.  He is wrapping up his summer tour and I'm pumped that I get to attend!  Granted, I've seen Kenny in concert more than ten times, but I love him!  The fact that he won't be touring next year means that I've got to get my Kenny fix to last me a whole year.  In preparation for the concert, I've been listening to Kenny songs, watching music videos and reading up on him. I can't flippin' wait!

Kenny definitely has a signature look: a cutoff t-shirt, tight jeans, cowboy boots and who can forget the COWBOY HAT!  However, in all my "research" I've noticed that when Kenny isn't wearing a cowboy hat, he typically has on a Franchise hat.  He sings about a "Red Sox cap" in She's from Boston and even sports a Franchise hat in several of his music videos.  He is constantly seen rocking Tennessee Volunteers hats (hometown: Luttrell, TN), Boston Red Sox hats and a number of local teams for the city in which he is touring. 

The Franchise hat, a relaxed, easy-fitted cap, is the perfect choice for Kenny.  This beach-bum cowboy is laid back and down to earth, yet spirited...just like the Franchise hat.  In my opinion, Kenny looks good in anything, but he definitely knows how to rock a baseball cap!  It's easy to see why the Franchise hat is Kenny's go-to hat when he's not wearing a cowboy hat.

I hope to see lots of you out at the concert rockin' to Kenny and sportin' your hats!  I know I will!

Lids Readers, what other concerts are you looking forward to attending?  Are there other musicians or celebrities that you rarely see without a hat?  I love hat wearing celebrities...especially when I get to see them in concert!

(Above) Kenny rocks his Franchise hats all over the country!