Dick’s Sporting Goods has been opening House of Sport locations at a rapid pace this year, and the 25th store just landed in Jersey City, bringing the concept to the greater NYC area for the first time.
After a quick history search of House of Sport, which has been expanding across the U.S. since its debut in 2021, I got the sense that it’s basically Disneyland for amateur and pro athletes alike. So naturally, I had to see what makes it different from the local sporting goods store I grew up with.
From the moment I walked inside House of Sport, the experience felt intentional. Starting with shoes at the entrance, hundreds of options for all kinds of customers line the walls. Within 90 seconds of having a team member at the store scan a pair, my size was in hand and ready to try on. It’s one of the friendliest and fastest in-store shopping systems I’ve seen in a long time.
Try before you buy
But House of Sport goes far beyond sneakers. A little bit deeper in the store, there’s an entire “House of Cleats” section, where the appropriate footwear for all the major sports are displayed on turf. That way you can actually feel what it’s like to move around in them. I myself checked out some new softball cleats and appreciated getting a sense for how they might perform while I’m shagging flies the outfield.
House of Sport definitely puts an emphasis on trying and testing gear before you buy. This particular location features permanent installations like a batting cage, a pair of TrackMan golf simulator bays, and even a rock climbing wall.
I was told that the 85,000 sq. ft. Jersey City location is among the smaller House of Sport stores, which makes sense geographically-speaking. Some other locations have a literal fields for hosting community events, and are generally tailored to suit the needs of the surrounding area.
Perhaps best part is that you don’t even have to be shopping to use these facilities. You can book the spaces just to practice or meet up with friends. There are fees, but from what I gathered, they’re pretty reasonable, and I just might be planning to have my next birthday party at the golf simulators.
More than just gear
The store also tries to stay in conversation with the sports world at large. Displays change with the moment, whether it’s a section curated by Nike for its latest running shoe launch, a table of branded Ryder Cup gear or Jets season kicking off.
And it’s not just “sports gear” in the traditional sense. House of Sport have sections that tap into lifestyle hobbies too, like the biggest wall of Owala bottles and Stanley cups I’ve ever seen, or areas dedicated to collectibles like sports memorabilia and trading cards.
Services give you another reason to visit House of Sport. There’s a desk where you can get rackets restrung, baseball gloves broken in or other gear maintenance.
On the apparel side, the mix is surprisingly broad, with elevated brands like Free People Movement alongside Dick’s own private labels, which were unknown to me before visiting this store. DSG in particularly offers a healthy selection of workout clothes at a good value.
A trip to House of Sport feels less like an errand and more like discovering a playground for athletes. And if there’s ever a location near me (35 will be open nationwide by the end of 2026,) you can bet I’ll be stopping by.
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