The latest 18th Avenue retailer opened a day early.

Hibbett Sports opened Friday at 1004 18th Avenue NW, Suite D, according to a press release from the company. Earlier this week, company officials had said it would open Saturday.

“This convenient new location is a win-win for our company and the Austin community. We are very excited to serve the customers in this area,” Hibbett President and CEO Jeff Rosenthal said in a press release.

The Birmingham, Ala.-based chain sells athletic footwear, athletic apparel and team athletic equipment.

“We research the markets we enter to learn what the customers of that area want from a sporting goods store,” Rosenthal said in the release. “We constantly update our merchandise assortment to offer the latest in product technology, performance and fashion so that we can meet the diverse needs of our customer’s active lifestyles.”

The store is Hibbett’s second in Minnesota. A Winona store opened in 2012. In business since 1945, Hibbett operates more than 950 sporting goods stores in small to mid-sized markets.

Store hours are typically 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sundays, but those are subject to change per store.

Hibbett offers a customer loyalty program, the Hibbett Sports MVP Rewards program, which customers can sign up for at www.hibbett.com. Hibbett is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@HibbettSports).