A new Academy Sports + Outdoors store is coming to Kaufman, with construction set to begin around Nov. 30 at 750 W Kings Port Parkway. The retailer is planning one of its larger stores for the site, expected to top 55,000 square feet, with an anticipated opening date of July 30, 2027.
The project was reported by WhatNow Dallas, which noted the new location will become a building within a retail development, joining the broader commercial corridor off S.H. 34 and U.S. 175 on the south side of Kaufman. Separately, The Meara Company says Kings Fort Market Center is currently in Phase II of development, with additional development possibilities still on the horizon for the site.
Nearby retailers already anchoring that stretch of Kaufman include Lowe's, Walmart, and Tractor Supply Co., per the same WhatNow report. For shoppers, the new store will carry Academy's usual mix of apparel, footwear, and outdoor gear, including men's and women's athletic apparel from brands like Carhartt, Nike, and Under Armour, along with travel items, bikes, space heaters, and outdoor games, the article notes.
A Texas-Born Chain Still Growing at Home
Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, according to Academy Sports and Outdoors investor relations. The chain now counts more than 120 locations in Texas, with its footprint concentrated in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, per WhatNow's reporting.
Companywide store counts vary slightly depending on the source: WhatNow reported the chain has expanded to over 330 stores across 21 states, while Academy's own investor materials, dated Aug. 18, 2026, describe the company as having grown to more than 300 stores across 21 states. Academy's investor relations team also said the retailer has opened more than 60 new locations since 2022, including 24 stores across 16 states in 2025 and 16 stores across 10 states in 2024.
Part of a Broader Five-Year Expansion Push
The Kaufman store fits into a larger pattern for the company. Academy has said it plans to open 20 to 25 new locations during fiscal 2026, and had already opened seven new stores this year as of mid-August, according to the investor relations release. Academy is also pursuing what Retail Dive describes as an “outside-in” strategy, focusing new stores primarily in exurbs and satellite markets rather than major cities first.
Retail Dive reports that Academy expects roughly 40% of its planned stores to land in legacy markets, another 40% in states where it has operated for at least five years, and 20% in brand-new markets, as part of a five-year plan to open 125 stores — an increase of almost 40%. The outlet also cited projects in Searcy, Arkansas; Zanesville, Ohio; and Palestine, Texas as examples of this strategy in action.
Similar Projects Taking Shape Across Texas
Kaufman isn't the only Texas community adding an Academy store this cycle. In Tyler, a second Academy Sports + Outdoors location is planned near Sam's Club at South Southwest Loop 323 and Earl Campbell Parkway, with KLTV reporting that construction on the 55,000-square-foot building is expected to cost $6 million and begin Nov. 3, with completion targeted for March 2, 2027.
Kerrville is also getting in on the action: an Academy store is planned there. Meanwhile in Copperas Cove, kdhnews.com reported that a new Hobby Lobby and Academy Sports & Outdoors are planned together as part of a commercial development at 276 Robert Griffin III Boulevard.
WhatNow Dallas said it reached out to the Academy Sports team for comment on the Kaufman project but had not received a response as of publication.
