Hat World is a unit of Genesco Inc. and was acquired in 2004. The company is continuously growing. This is its fourth acquisition since May 2010. In September of last year, Hat World bought Anaconda Sports Inc., a sporting goods dealer that operates an e-retail site and direct mail catalog business. Earlier last year, the retailer acquired Sports Avenue, which operates 13 e-commerce sites and 46 stores, and Brand Athletics Inc., a team apparel and equipment dealer, custom screen printer and embroidery operator. In November 2010 Genesco acquired Impact Sports in Madison, WI, and Great Plains Sports in St. Paul, MN in 2009 and put under control of Hat World.

Contstantly acquiring smaller companies and opening new stores all the time, Genesco reported over 2,300 retail footwear and headwear stores in operation at the end of its last fiscal year. For more information on companies such as Hat World, Buckeye Corner and Genesco visit Chain Store Guide’s databases of Apparel Specialty Stores and Department Stores (for shoe retailers).