Wholesale Sports is closing its 12 Western Canada locations, including its stores in West Kelowna and Kamloops, throwing at total of 545 employees out of work.
The company, a subsidiary of United Farmers of Alberta Co-op, will begin inventory liquidation sales Friday until December 28th.
CEO Carol Kitchen says they made the decision based on a number of external factors including increased competition from other big box retailers and a continued shift to on-line purchases.
Kitchen says the parent company, which purchased Wholesale Sports in 2008, will focus on its core business of agriculture and petroleum.
Wholesale Sports is located on Carrington Road in West Kelowna.