Buyer Found for Foot Locker; Will They Keep the Store’s Unique Name for Its Employees?

Foot Locker is about to get a new owner, but what does that mean for the brand's culture and the unique name for its workers?

Who Is Buying Foot Locker?

Foot Locker has spent the past two years trying to turn things around as its mall-based stores continued to underperform.

In March 2023, ABC News reported the footwear chain was planning to close as many as 400 stores by 2026.

During that same period, Foot Locker announced plans to restructure. ABC News said more than 280 stores were still planned to open with a renewed "focus on its community, power store and house of play concepts."

READ MORE: 30 Big-Name Chains Closing Locations Throughout The U.S. In 2025

The story took yet another turn this week when Chain Store Age reported Dick's Sporting Goods is set to acquire Foot Locker for upwards of $2.4 billion. Dicks currently has 850 of its own stores before potentially adding nearly 2,400 Foot Locker locations.

Will Dick's Change What Foot Locker Calls Its Employees?

Even with the two sides still in negotiations, details are already starting to trickle out regarding what Dick's will do with Foot Locker once the deal is done.

Chain Store Age said Dick's hopes to run Foot Locker as a "standalone business unit" while keeping its associated brands intact.

Also likely sticking around will be Foot Locker's unique name for its employees, Stripers.

"We wouldn't be who we are without our iconic Foot Locker Stripers - who show up everyday to bring our culture to life," Foot Locker says on its website.

The "Stripers" name comes from the iconic black and white striped referee-type shirt commonly worn by Foot Locker store employees.

The deal between Dick's and Foot Locker will likely be completed before the end of the year.

Here is a look at what other chains besides Foot Locker have closed locations so far in 2025.