Western-Hoegee, has been warehousing and distributing sporting goods products throughout eight western states for over 100 years and services more than 1500 retail locations. Western-Hoegee offers more than 15,000 product SKU’s that include fishing tackle, shooting sports equipment, camping products, bicycle accessories and general athletic supplies. Jory Katlin, President and CEO of Maurice Sporting Goods states, “the acquisition of Western-Hoegee allows Maurice to broaden its distribution in the mass market channel and strengthen its relationship with independent sporting goods retailers”.

Maurice Sporting Goods, established in 1923, has grown from a single sporting goods storefront to become the largest sporting goods wholesaler in North America. Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, Maurice has five distribution centers, strategically located in Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, and Ontario, Canada. Maurice has over 650,000 square feet of warehouse space and distributes fishing, hunting, marine and general sporting goods to over 6,000 retail locations throughout North America.

By year-end 2004, the two company’s combined product assortment will be distributed from the Maurice Sporting Goods state of the art warehouse in Reno, Nevada. Western-Hoegee senior executives Jeff Glass and Chuck Buhagiar have accepted positions with Maurice Sporting Goods. A regional sales office will be established in Southern California to maintain a high level of support to regional customers.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.