Academy Ltd., which does business as Academy Sports & Outdoors, owns and operates 95 sports and outdoors goods stores across the South and Southeast. The company traces its beginning to 1938 when founder Max Gochman opened the Academy Tire Shop in San Antonio, Texas. After a few years, Gochman began selling military surplus in his shop. In 1973, his son, Arthur Gochman, began developing similar stores in Houston, Texas. In the early 1980's, Academy added sports and outdoors items to its assortment of products, and the company evolved into a full line sporting goods store Brands: Academy Sports & Outdoors