Lids’ SVP merchandising steps up to president position

Sportswear retailer Lids has announced that Bob Durba, its current senior vice president, merchandising, has been promoted to the position of president.

Durda has been at the company over the course of 13 years, first joining as buying director in 2009, after his own brand Sport Fan-Attic was acquired by Lids, and later becoming vice president of buying.

During his time at Lids, Durda was focused on building out the retailer’s portfolio of exclusive products and leading its development in a range of programmes, such as its partnership with Major League Baseball.

In this new position, Durda has been tasked with further driving Lids’ growth via brand elevation internationally.

On his appointment, Durda said in a release: “It's an exciting time for Lids, and I'm thrilled to begin my new role alongside a dynamic and supportive team.

"Being at Lids for over a decade has given me the opportunity to leverage my expertise as both a retailer and merchant, and I now look forward to continually positioning the company for growth."

The announcement comes as Lids continues on the path of international expansion, after opening its first store in Europe during 2021.

In the US, the brand has also been growing its offering with the introduction of a new store concept in New York, Lids Hat Drop, a brick and mortar iteration of an online concept the brand launched under the same name early in 2022.