By IJEOMA OPARA
PHOTO CREDIT Sam Gauntt
A sports apparel store is set to move into the building formerly occupied by Target on Baltimore Avenue.
The College Park City Council on Sept. 10 approved a $130,000 grant for Rally House, which is expected to move into the vacant 13,300-square-foot space at 7501 Baltimore Ave. in October.
“I think it’ll be nice,” Sydney Nicole, a University of Maryland (UMD) student, said. “A lot of people around this area, they wear athleisure, Lululemon, Nike, Adidas; all that’s very popular around College Park, especially with college students. So I think it’ll be really good for business.”
The city requires businesses that receive business retention and attraction grants to commit to staying in College Park for at least five years. In addition, because Target left the building before the end of its lease, Rally House will sublet the space from Target for the initial two years, making its commitment seven years, according to the city’s Director of Economic Development Michael Williams.
Kansas-based Rally House offers shoppers sports jerseys, T-shirts, caps, workout wear and other logo clothing representing local NCAA, NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS teams. The chain has approximately 200 stores in the U.S. This will be its first Maryland location.
Williams told College Park Here & Now that Rally House is expected to hire up to 70 employees.
The storefront has been vacant since Target moved out in May 2023.
Williams said the vacancy has been economically detrimental to the city.
“The contagious part of a commercial vacancy is that when you’re trying to show off the city or make sure that the other commercial merchants are doing their jobs, the one constant question will always be, ‘Hey, what about that space? … What’s the weakness in your economy that you cannot come out and fill this space of 13,300 square feet?’” he said.
Recently, at least two windows at the store were smashed in what some residents said they suspect was vandalism. Williams said while the incident will not affect Rally House’s move to the city, it is one of the disadvantages of a long vacancy.
Rally House attorney Dan Zmijewski said the chain chose College Park because it is home to a Big 10 sports program. He said college towns “have a need for our product. … College Park is one of those perfect examples.”
Some councilmembers expressed concerns over Rally House’s location.
Councilmember Jacob Hernandez (District 1) pointed out that North College Park needs new businesses. Councilmember Llatetra Esters (District 2) suggested reducing the $130,000 grant to $100,000 or less.
Still, councilmembers voted 7-1 to approve the funds, which Rally House will use to pay for signs, awnings and interior renovations, according to its grant application.