LAKEWOOD — Athletes and sports fanatics have a new place to shop for attire and gear at the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood.

Hibbett Sports is a national sporting goods retailer based in Birmingham, Ala., that opened last month at the former DEB location in the mall. It’s the second location in Chautauqua County, with one in Dunkirk, and among several that are located in the Northeast region.

As one of the fastest growing retailers across the country, Hibbett Sports has more than 1,000 stores in 33 states across the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Each location is specifically designed to serve its community and its customers.

The store holds a variety of brand names from Nike and Under Armour to Adidas and Costa. Whether a person is shopping for themselves or a team, Hibbett Sports sells products for all sporting levels.

”In the area, quite frankly, we’re one of the only retailers that I’m aware of that sells Spyder jackets and North Face products,” said Alex McLachlan, head coach (manager) for Hibbett Sports. ”We’re also a huge launch location for shoes, and by that I mean we’ll launch Jordan Retros, KD and Curry brands.”

Hibbett Sports also sells collegiate apparel featuring the Syracuse Orangemen, Penn State Nittany Lions and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The store also has hoodies and shirts featuring the Bills, Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Cleveland Cavaliers.

McLachlan said they also do team ordering for those who would like to fashion uniforms or purchase equipment.

”You can buy bulk items because the company is so big. We can get whatever they need,” he said.

Along with a wide range of sports products, Hibbett Sports focuses on knowledgeable and friendly customer service. McLachlan said the store has eight people on staff, and they’re looking for more applicants.