Herman's World of Sporting Goods was a sporting goods retailer in the United States. It was founded by Herman Steinlauf in 1916 as a music store. At one time, there was a gentleman's agreement with west coast competitor Oshman's Sporting Goods, that the Herman's chain would stay east of the Mississippi, while Oshman's would be dominant on the west coast. Later on, Herman's did expand west with the acquisition of Salt Lake City-based Sunset Sports Centers, although this was short-lived. The company entered bankruptcy in 1993, first closing the stores out of the New York metropolitan area, then the New York City stores. Herman's could not overcome the debt incurred by the Dee Corporation, a British supermarket company that purchased it. The idea that it could not compete with warehouse stores like Dick's Sporting Goods and Sports Authority was a fallacy that came later. Even at the end, Herman's was attracting traffic to its stores; it simply could no longer purchase the merchandise needed to satisfy that traffic. Herman's main executive offices and warehouse were co-located in Carteret, New Jersey, at 2 Germak Drive. This building is now used by P.C. Richard & Son. The company was purchased by W. R. Grace and Company in 1970, as part of Grace's retail division, which sold it to the Dee Corporation, of England, in 1986. Later, it was sold to a Dutch firm. Herman's closed all its remaining stores in 1996. Some of the slogans the company used included "Herman's.. We Are Sports.". One of the most popular locations was in Valley Stream, NY, serving the boroughs of Queens and Nassau county. Herman's was one of Manhattan's—and later most of the U.S.-- most visible retail stores. While Herman's was a large sporting goods retailer, about half of the floor space of any store was soft goods, including ski jackets, and other apparel. Herman's had their own label, made by other vendors. On several occasions, Herman's sponsored a Free Ski Day in Central Park, providing cross country skis and poles and other winter sports activities for free, where people could ski on the great lawn or go downhill on an artificial hill.
