Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame

When JEFF LYNN took over management of Dunham’s Sports in 1984, the Company only had eight stores in two states and operated in one of the most competitive regions in the country for sporting goods. With limited access to capital, the company did not even possess a computer and the odds were stacked against success. Rather than shying away from this challenge, Jeff found ways to out-maneuver his much larger competitors. He created a highly differentiated business model built on following non-traditional retail strategies. Nearly four decades and two leveraged buyouts later Dunham’s continues to grow and thrive in a landscape riddled with the casualties of former sporting goods retailers. 

Dunham’s is now a financially strong, still privately held, leading full-line sporting goods chain in secondary and tertiary markets in the U.S. with 245 stores in 24 states and over $1 billion in revenue. Jeff Lynn’s vision and leadership is a tremendous success story that has led to his induction into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2023.   

Jeff recognized early that most sporting goods chains focused on major markets, leaving an opportunity in the smaller secondary and tertiary markets. However, finding success in smaller retail areas took a lot of creativity. Dunham’s has created a long list of proprietary operating systems and real estate strategies that have allowed it to be successful in markets where so many others have struggled to operate.   

“I remember those early years,” said Ken Meehan, former President of Dunham’s Sports. “Jeff forced us to forget everything we had learned about how retail typically worked and start thinking about how it could work for us.”  

Under Jeff’s guidance, Dunham’s has never stopped innovating. The company prides itself on finding creative ways to succeed across a wide variety of market sizes, store layouts and competitive landscapes. Jeff has always believed that building a business model with tremendous flexibility was one of the keys to success.    

“Dunham’s ability to be flexible with store locations and store formats is a credit to Jeff’s passion in making sure Dunham’s is where the consumers are – not just where a retailer wants to be – in order to bring the ability to purchase goods for the outdoors and enjoy them,” said Scott Blackwell, CEO and Board Member of Outtech. “From its days when Roy Dunham, as the story goes, tried to get his wife to sell a bathtub full of minnows, under Jeff’s tenure, Dunham’s and its merchant team have also been flexible, creative, and tried to find value for consumers while being fair and great to work with as a manufacturer.” 

One of Jeff’s main priorities throughout his career was to build a strong, talented and dedicated management team. He has been able to push his team to develop their talents to the fullest while maintaining a family environment where people feel supported and new ideas are welcome. It is a credit to his management style that in a world where most people seek jobs rather than careers, many of Dunham’s employees have been with the company for the majority of their careers.  

“Jeff insisted that all department heads remain knowledgeable about the newest ideas, concepts and technology available in the sporting goods industry and retail business sectors,” said O. Keith Wanke, a retired senior vice president at Dunham’s. “Jeff achieved this by ensuring attendance and representation at all the relevant trade shows and pushing people to always think of new ideas and never stop challenging the way we do things. We would consistently talk about ways we implement new ideas that would lower costs and improve our performance.”  

Jeff Lynn has always been a big believer in the Sporting Goods industry. While many large chains have pulled back, Jeff has prioritized attendance at major trade shows and participation in industry associations such as Nation’s Best Sports (NBS) and National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA). He has done this while maintaining a high level of anonymity, prioritizing the impact that Dunham’s could make behind the scenes rather than seeking recognition.  

With all of Jeff’s accomplishments, the thing he is most proud of is the way that Dunham’s has become a key part of the communities in which it operates. He believes passionately in the positive impact that sports and outdoor recreation can have on families and communities and has worked tirelessly to build a company that expands access to these activities by providing a typical major market assortment of high quality brands and products at affordable pricing to smaller towns across the country.