Mick Simmons Sport, Sydney

Mick Simmons Sport is one of Australia’s oldest sporting goods retailers, founded in 1877 by Irish immigrant Michael “Mick” Simmons. Originally a tobacconist and cigar maker, Simmons expanded into sporting equipment, establishing a business that would become a Sydney institution. Over the decades, the store occupied several addresses along George Street, evolving alongside the city itself while maintaining a focus on athletics, recreation, and Australian sporting culture.

The business became synonymous with Sydney’s retail life, operating for much of the 20th century in a landmark George Street building known for its ornate Federation Free Classical façade, added in 1925. That structure, long a fixture near Town Hall, reflected the commercial optimism of its era and housed the company’s flagship store for decades. In 1981, Mick Simmons purchased the property at 478 George Street, where it remained until later redevelopment projects reshaped the precinct.

Since 2019, the store has operated from its current location at 466 George Street, continuing its presence in the heart of the Sydney CBD. While the present shopfront is more modern, the interior preserves the company’s sense of heritage, featuring vintage photographs, memorabilia, and displays dedicated to major sports such as rugby league, cricket, and soccer.

Mick Simmons Sport remains known for its wide range of licensed apparel, footwear, and sporting accessories, serving both athletes and fans. Its longevity and continuity on George Street make it a rare surviving name from Sydney’s early retail era, reflecting more than a century of local sporting tradition and commerce.