▁chain ▁operator ▁Dave ▁Wh el an ▁acquired ▁a ▁single ▁sports ▁shop ▁in ▁W igan , ▁and ▁immediately ▁opened ▁a ▁second ▁sports ▁goods ▁out let ▁in ▁his ▁super market ▁in ▁S utton , ▁St ▁Hel ens . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁J JB ▁sports ▁store ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁John ▁Jar vis ▁Br ought on ▁in ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 s , ▁and ▁later ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁John ▁Joseph ▁Brad burn . ▁As ▁these ▁initial s ▁were ▁all ▁the ▁same , ▁the ▁business ▁was ▁known ▁locally ▁as ▁J JB ’ s . ▁When ▁Wh el an ▁bought ▁the ▁store ▁from ▁Brad burn , ▁he ▁kept ▁the ▁J JB ▁name . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁store ▁port folio ▁grew ▁to ▁stores ▁tot alling ▁ 1 2 0 ▁by ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁at ▁which ▁point ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁flo ated ▁on ▁the ▁London ▁Stock ▁Exchange . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁J JB ▁bought ▁its ▁largest ▁domestic ▁compet itor ▁Sports ▁Division . ▁The ▁ac quisition ▁made ▁J JB ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁sports ▁ret ail ers ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁foc using ▁on ▁sports ▁cl othing ▁rather ▁than ▁sports ▁equipment . ▁It ▁had ▁got ten ▁to ▁a ▁sales ▁total ▁of ▁£ 3 7 2 . 9 7   mill ion ▁( US $ 6 3 6 . 6 0   mill ion ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0