Photos: Dick’s Sporting Goods Celebrates Grand Opening with Local Pros

They came. They saw. They shopped.

The new Dick’s Sporting Goods in the Cranberry Crossroads retail center on Route 228 officially opened at 8 a.m. Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Cranberry Township Supervisor Chairman Bruce Mazzoni.

Shoppers lined the entrance of the store to receive gift cards ranging from $5 to $500.

Later on Friday, another line wrapped around the second floor of the building, this time to see Steelers linebacker Larry Foote, who signed autographs from 6 to 8 p.m.

Among the first in line were Cranberry residents Kevin and Mandi Yeager and their 12-year-old son, Aaron, who wore his Seneca Valley football jersey.

The family had Foote sign a football, an NFL helmet and a mini-helmet. Foote also inquired about Aaron’s position as a nose tackle on his team and told him that’s where coaches put all the “toughest kids.”

“It was awesome,” Kevin Yeager said.

Pat Wolf, regional vice-president of Dick’s Sporting Goods, called the new store one of the most attractive retial venues he has ever seen.

“It’s spectacular,” he said. “The people seem to love it. We’re off to a good start.”

Wolf said Dick’s leased its former location in the Cranberry Square shopping center along Route 19 in Cranberry for about 15  years.

He said the building would remain in the company. A future use for it still is to be determined, he said.

“We’re not getting rid of it,” he said.

If you're planning to stop by the store, be sure to check out the rest of weekend appearance schedule.

Appearance Schedule

• University of Pittsburgh Basketball Coach Jamie Dixon – 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20
• Sport Fisherman Skeet Reese – 12 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20
• Fly Fisherman Charles Meck – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20
• Pirates Second Baseman Neil Walker – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20
• Penguins Mascot “Iceburgh” – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20

What do you think of the new Dick’s Sporting Goods store? What do you think should move into its former location? Are you planning to attend any of the opening events? Tell us in the comment section below.