With quick turnaround, national retailer takes over longtime Penn State apparel shop
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rally House acquired the former Lion & Cub at 206 E. College Ave.
- Crews began renovations on June 1 and opened the store three days later.
- The location carries a wide range of Penn State gear, with plans to add adidas apparel.
It didn’t take long for State College’s newest apparel shop to open for business.
Rally House, the national sports apparel retailer, acquired the former Lion & Cub shop at 206 E. College Ave. in May before rebranding the location and resuming sales there by early June. The move arrived as Lion & Cub’s longtime owner, Benson Lichtig, prepared to retire following decades in business.
Crews began working to complete minor renovations at shop on June 1, a Rally House worker said. It took just three days to install some new fixtures, stock shelves and open for business.
Before the switch, Lion & Cub ran deep discounts through a store-wide “everything must go” sale to help make way for Rally House’s inventory.
“It was a real fast turnaround, but we got it done easily enough,” a Rally House employee said Thursday. “The youth baseball championships are bringing a lot of families into town, and we had a lot of orientation [students] in this week. So far, so good.”
The new-look apparel shop still features a wide range of Penn State apparel, decor, toys and more, plus racks of gear outside the shop in true Lion & Cub fashion. Some new touches include a large Rally House awning at the front entrance and a wall lined with Penn State football jerseys — an aesthetic touch in line with other Rally House stores.
Although Lion & Cub was not authorized to sell Nike-branded Penn State apparel, the new Rally House location is expected to soon carry adidas products. The Nittany Lions’ new apparel partner could start sending gear to shops as soon as July 1.
State College’s Rally House is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The store offers online shopping at rallyhouse.com and through nittanyoutlet.com, also acquired from Lion & Cub.
Rally House operates more than 310 stores across 28 states. The retailer’s new shop in State College marks its 43rd location in Pennsylvania.
Lichtig, the former Lion & Cub owner, started the business in 1975. He handed things over to Rally House, whom he viewed as a partner that is “committed to continuing the business’s legacy” and “maintaining its role as a go-to destination” for Penn State fans.
“I’ve been lucky to have such dedicated employees and loyal customers, and I’m truly grateful for the support from the State College community,” Lichtig said in a statement announcing the Rally House acquisition. “As I enter retirement, I’m proud to pass the business to Rally House, knowing they will continue the tradition for years to come.”
%202.JPG)