Lids Sports Group is emerging as an early Super Bowl winner among local businesses after betting big that souvenir sales would shine.

The federal suit seeks monetary damages and a permanent injunction prohibiting the men from soliciting customers and employees, and from disclosing trade secrets.

The purchase of Anaconda Sports helps Hat World to grow its LIDS Team Sports division, created to expand the Indianapolis-based company's reach beyond hat retailing.

Here’s the business plan: Expand from hat retailing into two new segments—licensed sports apparel and team-sports equipment—and benefit from the synergies among them.

Hat World, a subsidiary of Nashville, Tenn.-based Genesco Inc., said it plans to invest up to $22 million to lease and prepare additional space locally as it consolidates manufacturing and warehouse operations from Wisconsin.

Locally based Hat World has agreed to acquire the assets of Sports Avenue, an Illinois-based competitor that operates 46 retail stores and 13 branded e-commerce sites. Terms of the deal where not disclosed.

Locally based Hat World Inc. has agreed to acquire a popular 37-store athletic retail chain in hopes of doing for collegiate and professional sports licensed apparel what Hat World did for headwear.

Indianapolis-based Hat World Inc. said Monday that its Impact Sports division has acquired Great Plains Sports in St. Paul, Minn.

Locally based Hat World Inc. has acquired a custom screen printing and embroidery operation based in Madison, Wis.

The locally based headwear retailer Hat World made a name for itself by snatching up competitors and opening hundreds of stores around the country. However, after sluggish sales in the fiscal year that ended Feb. 2, the company--a unit of Nashville, Tenn.-based Genesco Inc.--says it plans to open fewer stores than usual this year so officials can put their focus back on existing operations.

Athletic retailer The Finish Line Inc. had cultivated a reputation for conservative play calling, keeping clean books with minimal debt. Then on June 18, the Indianapolis-based retailer called a surprise audible. The $1.3 billion company agreed to acquire Nashville, Tenn.-based Genesco Inc. for $1.5 billion.