Academy Sports + Outdoors
Welcome to Academy Sports + Outdoors, your ultimate destination for all things sports and outdoor recreation in Athens, Georgia! Located conveniently at 3505 Atlanta Hwy, our store is easily accessible and well-loved by the local community, boasting an impressive 4.3-star rating. Whether you're an avid camper, a fishing enthusiast, or simply looking to gear up for an active lifestyle, we offer a vast selection of quality products at unbeatable prices. With extended hours from 8 AM to 10 PM on weekdays, and 9 AM to 9 PM on Sundays, you can shop at your convenience. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, we pride ourselves on excellent customer service and a commitment to satisfaction. Our knowledgeable staff is always ready to assist you in finding the right gear, whether it's for grilling, camping, or sporting activities. Customers rave about their experiences, with many noting the ease of online ordering and fast curbside pickup — including on busy holidays like the Fourth of July! From high-quality grills and outdoor furniture to an expansive camping section stocked with everything from tents to RV supplies, you’ll find everything you need to make your outdoor adventures unforgettable. Come visit us today or explore our offerings online at academy.com. Experience why so many in Athens trust Academy Sports + Outdoors as their go-to destination for sports gear and outdoor essentials. Your adventure starts here!
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Robbie Segars
Ordered a grill at the best price that I have seen in years online. The process was so easy and curbside pick up was less than 5 minutes and it’s on the Fourth of July!!! Awesome place to shop.
Christy Smith
This store is usually stocked with everything I'm here to shop for. However recently I have noticed they no longer have the brand "Love and Pineapple" for women. I truly hope they just didnt have enough merchandise to fill the table instead of not carrying this brand anymore. Other than that the store is always clean, the aisle are free of clutter, changing rooms are kept up and no merchandise is left hanging in them, and at this Athens. GA location I have always had the best experience with every cashier I have checked out with and any other employee I came in contact with. I can say this store is super friendly, ready to help, stays clean and stocked.. For those reasons plus more is why this Academy gets my business.
Scott Andrews
The singular best destination for grill, smoking and preparing meat in Athens. The camping section is easy to shop and has what you need for tent to RV camping. The fishing department is remarkable. Items are in stock and priced competitively. The associates are friendly and eager to help. Wayne was a true champion the last time I was in. BRAVO Wayne.
BlackPowder Bill
Ordered a three burner grill online. When I got there he couldn't find it they figured they sold it. So the manager offered me for my inconvenience a five-burner grill for the same price. I got me a brand new big old grill at home now.
Mikey Chavez
Walked in with my grandma to find an outfit for his birthday nothing to much just a nice outfit and I had excellent customer service from Glorie she put two outfits together that my grandpa gave in and bought both overall she didn’t rush us she listened to what we were looking for which wasn’t much but she made it her goal to find the perfect outfit and we left with more than what we came for and a smile on our face academy over all has great customer service!
Alex McClusky
Giving three starts to attempt to be fair because I’ve had pleasant experiences with team members at this store in the past. Today’s experience was a one start at best. I wish I had caught a name, but the lady with the chipped tooth needs serious work on customer service. I went in for a pick up order (this is my third time ordering from this store) and she would not allow me to pick up an item that my girlfriend had placed for me. I had her phone with the email confirmation, order #, and everything. It was stated they require ID’s, which would’ve been fine but the employee was rude and I’ve never had to present an ID for previous pick ups. My girlfriend then went in to show her ID as I let them know she was in the car with our dogs and would be right in. Within two minutes of her walking in and waiting in like, they had already taken the item back to the back. She said she saw them load it on the return cart while she was standing in line. She also said that same employee was very short with her as well. Bottom line: don’t go into customer service if you don’t have the mindset of helping people out or at least being pleasant.
Shanna
I am writing to formally express my deep disappointment, frustration, and sadness following my experience in your store this evening while attempting to exchange items I had purchased online. What I anticipated being a quick, 30-minute visit turned into an unnecessarily stressful ordeal lasting over an hour. From the outset, I encountered difficulty with the return barcode. Instead of calmly troubleshooting the issue or considering the possibility of a technical glitch within the store's system, the store manager, Manny, immediately accused me of attempting to return an item that had "already been refunded." His tone was combative and accusatory, rather than helpful or solution-oriented. I was stunned by how quickly the situation escalated without any real effort to de-escalate or offer support. To make matters worse, Manny actively interfered with other associates who were trying to assist me, further delaying and complicating the process. At one point, he refused to help me any further, claiming it was because I had taken a photo of him. For the record, the photo was not taken to post online, but to have a clear record of the person involved when reporting this incident to your corporate office. I also want to note that I am fully aware this incident likely stemmed from the moment I briefly took my daughter to the restroom, bringing the cart and the online-purchased shoes into the restroom area—not inside the actual restroom, but nearby—out of concern for their safety. Upon exiting, I noticed several employees stationed outside the restroom as if anticipating wrongdoing. The implication was clear, and I felt unjustly scrutinized and treated as if I were attempting theft. This is not the first time I have felt mistreated or discriminated against in this store, but tonight's experience was the most disheartening by far. While the actual store manager did eventually come out and did his best to resolve the issue, the damage had already been done. I left feeling humiliated, upset, and entirely unwelcome. I have never tried to take advantage of your return policies and I take great offense to being treated as if I had. I work hard and spend my money honestly. To be treated like a criminal simply for trying to exchange a pair of shoes I rightfully purchased is unacceptable. Because of this experience and the pattern of poor treatment I’ve endured at this location, I will no longer be shopping at your store. I hope my feedback is taken seriously and used as an opportunity for improvement, so that no other customer is made to feel the way I did tonight.
Moon Family
This is the 3rd time in a row I have been disappointed in this Academy so I am finally making a review. The customer service is horrible. There are employees standing around everywhere and no one seems to want to work. I have stood in long lines every time I have been there lately and today was no exception. I was next in line, walked to register that was available and she said she needed to wait on this man that appeared from somewhere than the line like the rest of the customers. So she called one of the employees standing around to wait on me. One of the ammo boxes I got did not have a barcode on it. Instead of calling for price check or walking back there himself, he started looking on his phone. Told me that my 25 rounds of 12 gauge was $36.99. Oh no! Absolutely not I said, it was $9.99 on the box. My son went to take a photo of the barcode and about that time, he calls gun counter. It took that employee, 2 times walking back and forth before he came back with a price of $9.99. Only took my 10 year old son one time to get the price right. 30 minutes later, I was pretty upset. I feel like if you are working at Academy, you need to know about outdoors and the products you are selling. I mean what's the advantage to shop at Academy???
David Pinkston
Picture this Memorial morning 2025. Its BBQ crunch time. Boom!!! Smoker goes out with $150 in meat prepped. Few options are gonna save the meat and day. I give Academy in Athens a call on the way. Matt saved the day and even help my load it. You only got 5 stars cause 6 ain't an option. Thanks
David D
Be EXTREMELY careful when checking out, they ring up higher prices than tagged on product. See pictures. Hat has a price tag of $14.99. Was charged $19.99 Gun cleaning kit. Sign says $19.99 on sale, full price $24.99. Rung up $49.99. Employee and I walked to the kit, employee said they must have marked it wrong. I asked if they would honor the price and she gave a snarky, NO. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU PAY. They will overcharge you.
