Herman's World of Sporting Goods was a sporting goods retailer in the United States. It was founded by Herman Steinlauf in 1916 as a music store. At one time, there was a gentleman's agreement with west coast competitor Oshman's Sporting Goods, that the Herman's chain would stay east of the Mississippi, while Oshman's would be dominant on the west coast. Later on, Herman's did expand west with the acquisition of Salt Lake City-based Sunset Sports Centers, although this was short-lived. By 1992, Herman's had 259 stores in 35 states. The company entered bankruptcy in 1993, first closing the stores out of the New York metropolitan area, then the New York City stores. Herman's could not overcome the debt incurred by the Dee Corporation, a British supermarket company that purchased it. The idea