Academy Sports and Outdoors is taking 61,417 sf of the building and Tire Dealers Warehouse, a discount retailer, has signed for the 7,800-sf former tire, battery and automotive center operated by Montgomery Ward. The Montgomery Ward bankruptcy has left a 97,215-sf hole in the 800,000-sf Lakepointe Crossing Shopping Center, situated at the southeast corner of Interstate 35 and FM 3040. It was one of 10 stores closed in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area as result of the Dec. 28, 2000 filing.

Assistant vice president Andrew Scroggie of the Ft. Worth-based Woodmont Co. handled the transactions. "The Montgomery Ward vacancy," he says, "created an ideal opportunity for Academy Sports and Outdoors and Tire Dealers Warehouse to take advantage of great locations in the Vista Ridge Mall area." In the past decade, Lewisville has proven to be one of the region's most popular landing spots for residents and retailers.

Academy Sports launched in 1938 in San Antonio and continues under the founding family's leadership. Current CEO David Gochman oversees more than 50 stores in seven states, making Academy Sports one of the nation's largest sporting goods retailers. According to Woodmont, Academy Sports boasts one of the nation's highest sales per sf of any sporting goods retailer.

Tenant Tire Dealers Warehouse, founded in 1975, also is family operated. The chain has 14 tire factory outlets in Texas and more than 100 employees.