The future of WSS, formerly Warehouse Shoe Sale, hasn’t been clear for some time now.

Known for its discounts on athletic brands from Nike to Adidas, New Balance and Puma, as well as Crocs, Vans and Skechers, the WSS banner now operates 100 doors, significantly down from the 160 stores in operation when then parent company released its first quarter 2025 earnings report in May 2025.

WSS was acquired by Foot Locker for $750 million in September 2021. The specialty retailer of athletic, fashion and work-related footwear and accessories at the time was considered a complementary addition to the Foot Locker umbrella of brands. The latter acquired the chain from the Dallas-based private equity investment firm Riata Capital Group.

Of course, Foot Locker itself was acquired by Dick’s Sporting Goods in September 2025 in a deal valued at $2.4 billion. Williams Trading analyst Sam Poser has speculated that Dick’s could eventually choose to sell WSS and shutdown Champs, although for now both are still part of the Foot Locker business umbrella. In November 2025, Dick’s executive chairman Ed Stack said when the retailer posted third quarter results that it was “taking decisive actions to ‘clean out the garage’ by clearing unproductive inventory, closing underperforming stores and laying the foundation for a fresh start in 2026.”

When Dick’s reported first quarter results in May, it noted that it started fiscal 2026 with 143 WSS stores, but closed 43 during the quarter, leaving just 100 WSS doors in operation. There also were eight store closed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. While there was talk on the conference call about expanding the “Fast Break” concept at Foot Locker and the Kids Foot Locker and Champs banners in time for back-to-school selling season, there was no mention of whether any WSS doors would be included.

Fast Break is focused on more storytelling and less visual clutter through the removal of removal of 30 percent of unproductive styles from the main shoe walls to highlight key trends. In addition, the concept also integrates apparel choices that align with current trend cycles.

A spokeswoman for Dick’s Sporting Goods did not respond to a request for information on the future of WSS.

Jefferies hardlines analyst Jonathan Matuszewski wrote in a research note Thursday that Academy Sports + Outdoors is poised to welcome displaced traffic from competitive closures. He noted that the “175 closures of Hibbett over the next few years alongside a downsizing of WSS present share capture opportunity for Academy Sports + Outdoors” because of the existence of overlapping markets.

U.K.-based JD Sports acquired Hibbett in 2024 in a deal valued at $1.11 billion. The company said in May that it would shutter 175 Hibbett doors as part of its optimization of JD’s store fleet in North America.

And depending on where the remaining WSS doors are located, other discount chains such as Rack Room and DSW might see some benefit too.