Barracks Row Sports Shop to Close This Year

A Barracks Row sports retailer is set to shut down before the year’s end, becoming the latest shop in a string of stores that have closed or are slated to cease business on 8th Street SE in 2015.

The closure of Capitol Hill Sporting Goods & Apparel at 727 8th St. SE later this year would follow the recent shuttering of the Be With Me Playseum on Barracks Row and Homebody’s impending move from 8th Street to 7th Street SE.

Rodney Smith, owner of Capitol Hill Sporting Goods & Apparel, said his 14-year-old shop is having trouble competing. Capitol Hill Corner first reported on his struggles last year.

“There’s just too much competition in the area,” he told Hill Now. “Any time you bring in five Wal-Marts to one area, how are we supposed to compete?”

Smith said he didn’t know what he would do after his store closes.

“I’ve just got to get out of this mess first,” he said.

It wasn’t clear exactly when the shop would close or what would replace it. But the store is offering a discount of up to 50 percent on all stock until its final day of business.