How a Baseball Retailer Found Its Way to the Field of Dreams

When baseball lifestyle apparel brand Baseballism opened in 2006, it was a dream opportunity for its founders, a group of former college baseball players.

Thirteen years later that dream is heading to the Field of Dreams.

Baseballism started as an e-commerce platform but has steadily opened brick-and-mortar locations in strategic locations that have importance in the baseball world. These include the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York and several Major League Baseball stadiums.

A remote field in Dyersville, Iowa may not seem like a home run for a retail store but considering the historic relevance of the Field of Dreams, where the iconic movie of the same name was filmed in 1989, this location is a natural fit for Baseballism brick-and-mortar store.

“It’s a really special place for a lot of people and we’re excited to get in there and create something meaningful and be part of the fabric of the Field of Dreams,” Baseballism COO Jonathan Jwayad said.

Baseballism will replace the existing Field of Dreams gift shop in spring of 2020, according to the company.

Throwing Retail A Curveball

In recent years, analytics has changed the way Major League Baseball teams approach the sport. In the world of baseball retail, one company is using a similar approach to carve out a new direction of its own.

The teammates-turned-business-partners at Baseballism, a Portland, Oregon-based retailer founded in 2013, have defied conventional wisdom by creating success out of two institutions that are perceived to be shrinking.