Sarah Shoen / The Fresno Bee – Sportsman’s Warehouse, the Utah-based sporting goods outlet, said Thursday it will open a store in Fresno next spring — its fifth store in California.

“We are thrilled to open a store in Fresno as Sportsman’s Warehouse has a great customer base in California,” John Schaefer, CEO of Sportsman’s Warehouse, said in a news release.

The company is one of the largest sporting goods suppliers in the nation, and its stores are concentrated mainly in the west. Its new store in Fresno will feature large collections of fishing, hunting and hiking gear. Sportsman’s Warehouse stores also offer instruction, seminars and special events on outdoor activities.

Sportsman’s Warehouse is going through an expansion, and Fresno is a good choice for the company to add a store, said Jeff Green, a retail industry consultant based in Phoenix.

“Retailers perform very well in Fresno,” Green said. “This is a good move.”

Although the Fresno area has several other major sporting goods stores, Green does not expect any major overlap among them, since each has its own specialty.

“Sportsman’s Warehouse has their own niche in which they offer quality products at a reasonable price,” said Jeff Green, retail industry consultant. “They’re a unique provider.”

Fresno will be the company’s 57th store. The company did not identify where in Fresno it will be located, or how many people it will employ.

Success in smaller markets could make it easier for them to expand into larger markets. The company also plans to expand into Spokane, Wash., in early 2015.

“Sportsman’s Warehouse has their own deal going on as far as their marketing goes,” Green said. “They’re looking into smaller markets where the competition is less.”