One of Iola’s prominent store locations in the downtown business district won’t be vacant for much longer.
Jock’s Nitch, Inc. announced Tuesday the company has purchased the old McGinty-Whitworth building at 101 E. Madison Ave., and will open for business on Nov. 18.
“It has been a pleasure working with Sharon Whitworth to purchase her family’s department store building. It has such a great history,” company president Phil Minton said in an email.
“We are very excited to renovate and remodel our new building. We look forward to filling a void in Allen County with a quality sports store.”
One of the first items of business is to remove the sheet metal storefront and old metal awning. “So the pigeons will have to find a new home in Iola,” Minton said.
While the opening is still a few months away, Jock’s Nitch representatives will be in town the weekend of Aug. 4-6 for Iola’s annual downtown sidewalk sale.
“We’re excited,” he said. “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.”
Minton singled out the efforts of Jonathan Goering of Thrive Allen County and Kelli Sigg, owner of Audacious Boutique.
“Those two are responsible for Jock’s Nitch deciding to open up a new sports store in downtown Iola,” Minton said.
Jock’s Nitch offers a wide variety of athletic shoes as well as sportswear from Adidas, Under Armour and Nike; spirit wear for area high schools and Allen Community College, the University of Kansas, K-State and Pittsburg State University, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and Sporting KC.
Jock’s Nitch Sporting Goods opened for business in 1979, in Pittsburg. The Iola store will be its seventh.
Minton said his company stands alone as a “mom-and-pop” store with multiple locations across Kansas.
“The advantage we have is we have a local management team in place,” he said. “We hire local employees and they’re gonna get input. Our stores are not cookie-cutters. We customize each of our stores.
“We’ve been very blessed,” he continued. “Our success is due to having a great team of associates and managers.”
Customized orders for traveling teams also will be available, as will custom screen printing and embroidery services for anything from a single person to corporate clients.
