If you’ve ever planned a last-minute trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods—maybe for a pair of running shoes or a forgotten glove for your kid’s baseball game—you might have run into a timing snag, especially when deciding between a mall-based store and a standalone location. This article unpacks whether Dick’s Sporting Goods in malls really follows the mall’s hours, how that differs from standalone stores, and why the answer isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. We’ll dig into actual cases, tap industry sources, compare policies, and even fess up to a few personal mix-ups.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Dick’s Sporting Goods is a national retailer with hundreds of locations, some at big outdoor plazas, some as anchor tenants inside malls. So, do those mall-based stores always open and close when the mall does? Or do they chart their own course? Here’s how I found out—sometimes the hard way.
Last fall, I decided to pick up a soccer ball for my nephew on a Sunday morning. I drove to the Dick’s Sporting Goods inside the local shopping mall, only to find the mall doors locked at 10 am. Online, the Dick’s website said “Open at 10 am.” The mall’s own site listed Sunday hours as 11 am to 6 pm. I circled the building twice, even tried the entrance by the food court. No luck.
A little frustrated (and slightly embarrassed to admit I didn’t check both websites first), I called the store. The automated message confirmed: “We open at 11 am on Sundays.” So, despite what the Dick’s national site said, this particular store matched the mall’s hours.
According to Dick’s Sporting Goods’ official customer service page, store hours may vary by location and “are subject to change based on local ordinances or landlord requirements.” That’s a subtle hint: mall landlords often require anchor tenants to follow the mall’s opening and closing times. This is pretty standard in U.S. retail leasing.
To back this up, I dug up a sample lease template from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), which states, “Tenants shall keep their premises open for business during the hours that the Shopping Center is open to the public, unless otherwise authorized in writing by Landlord.” (ICSC Lease Template)
Standalone Dick’s locations, on the other hand, usually set their own hours, often opting for slightly earlier openings or later closings—especially during peak sports seasons or holidays.
I ran a quick check comparing three Dick’s stores in my city. Here’s what I found on a random Wednesday:
| Store Location | Type | Weekday Hours | Sunday Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northgate Mall | Mall | 10:00am–9:00pm | 11:00am–6:00pm |
| Southside Plaza | Standalone | 9:00am–9:30pm | 10:00am–7:00pm |
| East Hills Shopping Center | Mall | 10:00am–8:00pm | 11:00am–5:00pm |
As you can see, mall-based Dick’s stores almost always mirror the mall’s posted hours, while standalone stores start earlier and end later, especially on weekends.
I reached out to a retail leasing manager, Jamie Wu, who’s negotiated several mall anchor tenant contracts. Jamie told me, “Malls want consistent hours for all anchor tenants. If Dick’s or Macy’s opens late or closes early, it disrupts the mall’s traffic flow. Landlords bake these requirements into leases. There are exceptions, but they’re rare and usually only for holidays.”
Interestingly, some mall-based Dick’s stores have external doors (meaning you can enter directly from the parking lot), but even in those cases, the store is often required to stick to mall hours for consistency, unless the landlord allows otherwise.
During Black Friday last year, standalone Dick’s locations in my area opened at 5 am, while the mall stores held off until 6 or even 7 am—matching their respective malls’ decisions. This lines up with data from the National Retail Federation, which found that 76% of mall-based anchors in the U.S. synchronize their hours with the mall on major shopping days (NRF Holiday Trends).
Before we wrap up, let’s zoom out—because these “store hours” quirks echo broader differences in retail regulations worldwide. Take “verified trade” standards: in the U.S., local ordinances and lease contracts dictate store hours. In the European Union, regulations like the Working Time Directive (Directive 2003/88/EC) set limits on retail work hours, which can force mall stores to close earlier than standalone shops (EU Directive).
| Country/Region | Standard Name | Legal Basis | Enforcement Agency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Local Retail Ordinance | Municipal Law, Lease Agreements | City Govt, Landlords | Mall lease often trumps national chain hours |
| EU | Working Time Directive | Directive 2003/88/EC | National Labor Ministries | Limits retail opening hours regionally |
| Japan | Retail Business Law | Retail Business Law 1957 | METI | Shopping centers regulate tenant hours |
So, while the U.S. system leaves much to landlords and city law, the EU and Japan enforce stricter, centralized standards.
As a mock panelist at a retail conference, let’s say I’m asked: “Should mall tenants always match mall hours?” My answer: “From a landlord’s perspective, absolutely. It’s about customer expectations and foot traffic. But as a retailer, you want flexibility—especially if your target customers shop early or late. It’s a classic tug-of-war, and lease negotiations are where the real action happens.”
Pro tip: If you’re planning to buy something time-sensitive or for curbside pickup, always confirm ahead—hours for in-store shopping might differ from pickup or returns.
In my own (sometimes bumbling) experience, the only safe bet is to check both the Dick’s official store listing and the mall’s own hours before heading out. Most mall-based Dick’s Sporting Goods will follow the mall’s opening and closing schedule, but exceptions exist, especially for big sales or if the store has a direct parking lot entrance. Standalone stores are usually more flexible and may open earlier or close later.
If you’re a retail geek like me, it’s fascinating to see how these little details—store hours, lease clauses, regional labor laws—shape your shopping routine. For everyone else? Just remember: when in doubt, call ahead. Or, like I learned the hard way, don’t trust that “Open at 10 am” sign when the mall itself is still locked up tight.
For more on retail store hours and industry regulations, check out the International Council of Shopping Centers and the National Retail Federation.