Retailers move to Sanford Station

Published 2:00 pm Friday, November 12, 2010

Sanford Station is the home to two new retailers - Hibbetts and Factory Connection.

The Sanford Station shopping center is now the new home to two local retailers – Hibbett Sporting Goods and Factory Connection.

Corporate officials said Thursday the second Hibbett location will open its doors on Saturday.

The company announced its new venture in October. Now, the new store will employ approximately eight full and part-time team members.

“This convenient new location is a win-win for our company and the Andalusia community,” said Mickey Newsome, Hibbett’s chief executive officer. “We are very excited to continue serving the customers in this area.”

On opening a second Andalusia location, Newsome said, “We research the markets we enter to learn what the customers of that area want from a sporting goods store.

“We constantly update our merchandise assortment to offer the latest in product technology, performance and fashion so that we can meet the diverse needs of our customer’s active lifestyles,” he said.

With the addition of the second Andalusia location, the company has 81 stores open in Alabama.

Opening next in the shopping center will be Factory Connection, a clothing retailer whose store front is currently located in Westgate Plaza.

Store manager Jessie Walden said the store will close Monday and reopen Thursday in its new location next to Cato’s in Sanford Station.

“We needed more room and wanted to be closer to more shopping opportunities,” Walden said of the move. “With the additional space, we’re going to be able to carry more name brand items and more merchandise.”

The move is also prompting a change in store hours, Walden said.

“We’re going to open at 9:30 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday,” she said. “We’re going to be open on Sunday now, too, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.”