Justin Jefferson, Joe Mauer To Visit New Minnetonka Dick's

MINNETONKA, MN —When the new Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport opens in Minnetonka on June 3, customers can expect more than just a regular sporting goods store. There also will be visits from a couple of A-list athletes during the opening weekend.

The store, located in the Ridgedale Center at 12437 Wayzata Blvd., is described as "experiential" by the company. According to the company website, the store in Minnetonka will be just the third House of Sport in the country. The others are in Rochester, New York and Knoxville, Tennessee.

"(The) store (is) designed to explore the future of retail through multi-sport experiences inside and outside the store," Dick's said in a press release earlier this spring. "(The store will have) elevated services that will rely on employees who are passionate about showcasing their love for sport."

In addition to equipment and apparel, the new store will feature a 32-foot rock wall with varying levels of difficulty. There will be a 17,000-square-foot outdoor turf field, which will host open play, fitness and sports clinics and practices for athletes of all ages.

In the winter, the outdoor space will convert into an ice rink, offering open skate, skating lessons, stick and puck drills and games, the store said.

The store also will have a 360-degree cleat buying experience with more than 350 cleats to choose from, a batting cage for baseball and softball featuring HitTrax, three golf hitting bays with TrackMan Simulators and a putting green.

Dick's has said the store also will feature associates with specific areas of expertise, like a golf professional, climbing wall expert, hockey ambassador and other specialized roles that will guide customers through sports experiences and offer product and performance advice.

During the opening weekend, three well-known Minnesota athletes are scheduled to visit and interact with fans and customers.

From 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 3, women's hockey player Dani Cameranesi will be in attendance. The Plymouth native helped lead the University of Minnesota to two national titles and also won a gold medal in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

From 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on June 4, Minnesota Vikings standout receiver Justin Jefferson will visit. The Vikings' 2020 first-round pick out of LSU, Jefferson was fourth in the league in receptions in 2021.

Last week, Jefferson was rated as the No. 1 receiver in the NFL by Dalton Miller of Pro Football Network.

Then, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on June 5, Minnesota Twins legend Joe Mauer will stop by. The St. Paul native played his entire 15 years with the Twins.

Mauer was the 2009 American League MVP, a three-time batting champion, three-time Gold Glove winner, six-time All-Star and a five-time Silver Slugger award winner.