Members of the Gart family have resigned their positions at Gart Bros. Sporting Goods Co., Denver, which has several outlets in Utah, and will concentrate on their real estate holdings in the Rocky Mountain area.
Officials of Thrifty Corp., the company that purchased Gart Bros. in 1986, announced that Gart Bros. isn't for sale and the name will remain on all of its stores to build on the reputation that has been established. It will continue to be operated as a regional chain headquartered in Denver.Members of the Gart family are Jerry Gart, chairman; his sons, Thomas A., Kenneth and John S. Gart; brother Marvin R. Gart; and uncle Melvin Gart. They were not available for comment.
Daniel A Siegel, Thrifty president, said John Chase, a 27-year retail industry veteran, has been appointed acting president and chief executive officer of Gart Bros. He most recently served as interim chief executive officer of Michigan Sporting Goods Distributors, a sporting goods subsidiary of Thrifty, with 76 stores, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Siegel wished the Garts success and said the acquisition of Gart Bros. was a long-term investment and that he intend to keep Gart Bros. in the position as the leading sporting good retailer in the Rocky Mountain area. "In fact, we are prepared to invest additional capital to ensure the growth and success of Gart Bros.," Siegel said.
Gart Bros. was established in 1928 in Denver and now has 48 stores in various Rocky Mountain states.