Eastbay
Encyclopedia
Eastbay is a world supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. The company was established to meet the performance needs of local high school and college athletes within Central Wisconsin. Originally viewed as a grassroots project, this venture grew into a worldwide direct mail catalog and internet sales conglomerate featuring top athletic brands such as Adidas, ASICS, Reebok, Jordan, Converse, New Balance, Saucony and Nike.
. At each stop they educated attendees with the benefits of their shoes and provided descriptive price lists.
In 1983, they developed a catalog for track & field and baseball shoes which increased sales. In 1988, phone operators were hired to take orders. In 1989, Eastbay began a Team Sales division and in 1990 created and produced its first in-house Team Sales catalog. By 1990, Eastbay's Call Center, Shipping and Creative Departments occupied nearly an entire city block.
Eastbay established its own clothing brand in 1990, offering jackets, pants, shorts and tops in a variety of team colors and styles, all featuring the signature Eastbay logo.
On Friday, Sept. 29, 1995 Eastbay went public and opened on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Two years later, shareholders sold the company to retail giant Woolworth
.
In July 1997, Eastbay moved its downtown corporate operation and retail store to a larger space in Wausau's near west side. Three months later it combined the shipping department and various warehouses into a new 500000 square feet (46,451.5 m²) Distribution Center located in the outskirts of Wausau. In March 1998, Eastbay converted its informational website into an active e-commerce site at www.eastbay.com. Shortly following, to manage a tremendous increase in sales, two additional Call Centers were opened in Oshkosh, WI
and Green Bay, WI
.
Although an era ended when Eastbay founders Art Juedes and Mr. Gering retired on June 30, 1999, the business continued to thrive. Eastbay's parent company, Woolworth, also underwent revision in November 2001, changing its name to Foot Locker, Inc.
, a reflection of its global commitment to customer service.
History
The company began in 1980 when Richard Gering and Art Juedes decided to set up a shoe selling company. With about $7000 worth of running shoes, the pair took to the road and set up shoe clinics near their hometown of Wausau, WIWausau, Wisconsin
Wausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people...
. At each stop they educated attendees with the benefits of their shoes and provided descriptive price lists.
In 1983, they developed a catalog for track & field and baseball shoes which increased sales. In 1988, phone operators were hired to take orders. In 1989, Eastbay began a Team Sales division and in 1990 created and produced its first in-house Team Sales catalog. By 1990, Eastbay's Call Center, Shipping and Creative Departments occupied nearly an entire city block.
Eastbay established its own clothing brand in 1990, offering jackets, pants, shorts and tops in a variety of team colors and styles, all featuring the signature Eastbay logo.
On Friday, Sept. 29, 1995 Eastbay went public and opened on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Two years later, shareholders sold the company to retail giant Woolworth
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
.
In July 1997, Eastbay moved its downtown corporate operation and retail store to a larger space in Wausau's near west side. Three months later it combined the shipping department and various warehouses into a new 500000 square feet (46,451.5 m²) Distribution Center located in the outskirts of Wausau. In March 1998, Eastbay converted its informational website into an active e-commerce site at www.eastbay.com. Shortly following, to manage a tremendous increase in sales, two additional Call Centers were opened in Oshkosh, WI
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
and Green Bay, WI
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
.
Although an era ended when Eastbay founders Art Juedes and Mr. Gering retired on June 30, 1999, the business continued to thrive. Eastbay's parent company, Woolworth, also underwent revision in November 2001, changing its name to Foot Locker, Inc.
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
, a reflection of its global commitment to customer service.