Arthur Blank’s PGA TOUR Superstore will open a new location in the Buckhead retail space soon to be vacated by Havertys Furniture, marking another shift in a prominent retail location.
The transition involves two Atlanta-based companies with contrasting histories. Havertys, founded in 1885 by brothers J.J. and Michael Haverty, operated in the Buckhead location, at the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree, for roughly a decade before recently announcing their closing as part of broader retail consolidation efforts. The 140-year-old furniture company continues operating other metro Atlanta locations.
Arthur Blank’s golf retail expansion
PGA TOUR Superstore, owned by Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank through his AMB Group, specializes in golf equipment and apparel with an experiential retail approach. The stores typically feature indoor hitting bays with launch monitor technology, custom club fitting studios, and putting greens for equipment testing.
Blank acquired PGA TOUR Superstore as part of his diversified business portfolio beyond sports franchises. The golf retailer fits his pattern of investing in businesses that serve enthusiast communities, similar to his approach with the Falcons and Atlanta United.
The Buckhead location aligns with the area’s golf heritage, including the nearby Bobby Jones Golf Course, which underwent a $33 million renovation completed in 2020. The course, Atlanta’s first public golf facility when it opened in 1932, now houses the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
Retail transition reflects broader trends
The changeover represents typical retail evolution in Buckhead, where specialty retailers increasingly replace traditional furniture and department stores. PGA TOUR Superstore’s investment in the prime retail space suggests confidence in the area’s demographics and golf market potential.
Havertys’ departure follows challenges facing furniture retailers nationwide as shopping patterns shift. The company, whose founder J.J. Haverty is buried in Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery alongside other early business leaders like Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler Sr., maintains its Atlanta headquarters and regional presence.
For the immediate area, the transition means maintaining retail employment levels while shifting focus from furniture to golf equipment and services. PGA TOUR Superstore typically employs certified PGA professionals, custom fitting specialists, and retail associates.
Construction and opening timeline
Specific opening dates for the new PGA TOUR Superstore location have not been announced. The company’s typical build-out process involves creating customized interiors with signature hitting bays and fitting technology while maintaining existing exterior appearances.
The retail space transition continues Buckhead’s adaptation to changing consumer preferences while serving the area’s concentration of golf facilities and country clubs. The new store is expected to draw customers from across the metro area’s golf community.
Both companies represent different eras of Atlanta business development—Havertys from the post-Civil War reconstruction period and PGA TOUR Superstore from the modern specialty retail era under one of the city’s most prominent contemporary business leaders.
