Genesco's Hat World Division Acquires Sports Fan-Attic, Inc.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO)
announced that its Hat World subsidiary has completed the acquisition of the
assets of Sports Fan-Attic, a Tampa, Fla.-based retailer of licensed sports
headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties, with 37 stores in seven states,
and revenues of approximately $30 million for the twelve months ended
September 30, 2009. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Hat World President Kenneth Kocher said, "Sports Fan-Attic is a natural
addition to Hat World's business, and we see the potential for meaningful
operational synergies from this transaction. Our businesses appeal to the
same core customer with products from a vendor base that overlaps
considerably, and we share an approach to merchandising that focuses on
tailoring a store's product selection to the local market. Additionally, we
see great long-term potential for growing the Sports Fan-Attic store base, and
look forward to bringing Genesco's collective strength in the mall real estate
market and our experience in managing new store growth to that process."

Genesco President and Chief Executive Officer Robert J. Dennis added, "The
Sports Fan-Attic team has built an impressive consumer franchise and
maintained solid results, even in the current economic climate. We are
excited to see Hat World add this new platform, which provides an additional
opportunity for growth, both through organic new store growth and through
future acquisitions of regional players in this highly fragmented market. Our
ambition is to build a national chain with the same scale-based advantages
that Hat World enjoys today, and we look forward to working with the Sports
Fan-Attic leadership team to achieve this goal."

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements, including those regarding
the growth potential and future prospects of the Sports Fan-Attic business and
all other statements not addressing solely historical facts or present
conditions. Actual results could vary materially from the expectations
reflected in these statements. A number of factors could cause differences.
These include continuing weakness in the economy and other factors affecting
demand for the Sports Fan-Attic product offering; factors affecting product
supply or distribution, and other factors beyond Genesco's ability to control
or predict. Additionally, the performance of Genesco's and Hat World's other
businesses, which are subject to risks and uncertainties including those
discussed in Genesco's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and its
subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may impair their ability to
implement successfully the plans and strategies reflected in certain of the
forward-looking statements in this release. Genesco undertakes no obligation
to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may
be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect
the occurrence of unanticipated events. Forward-looking statements reflect
the expectations of Genesco at the time they are made. Genesco disclaims any
obligation to update such statements.

About Hat World, Inc.
Founded in 1995, Hat World, Inc. is comprised of more than 850 mall-based,
airport, street level and factory outlet stores nationwide, and in Canada and
Puerto Rico, operating primarily under the LIDS retail brand. The
Indianapolis-based company is recognized as a specialty retail leader of
officially licensed and branded athletic fashion headwear. Hat World also
operates smaller retail brands HAT WORLD, HAT SHACK, LIDS LOCKER ROOM and HEAD
QUARTERS. Stores offer a vast assortment of officially-licensed and branded
professional and college sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion
categories all in the latest styles and colors. The majority of stores also
offer custom embroidery capability, and others carry licensed apparel. The
company serves the core sports fan and fashion-conscious, trend-savvy mid-teen
to mid-20s customer. Hat World also sells products and promotes its stores
through the Internet site lids.com(TM). In addition, licensed LIDS stores
operate from premier street locations and kiosks within major department
stores in Hong Kong and China. Hat World also owns Impact Sports Inc. out of
Madison, Wisconsin, and Great Plains Sports of St. Paul, Minnesota. Both
companies are team uniform, apparel and equipment dealers, custom screen
printers and embroidery operators. Hat World is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.

About Genesco Inc.
Genesco Inc., a Nashville-based specialty retailer, sells footwear, headwear
and accessories in more than 2,225 retail stores in the United States and
Canada, principally under the names Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Shi by Journeys,
Johnston & Murphy, Underground Station, Hatworld, Lids, Hat Shack, Hat Zone,
Head Quarters and Cap Connection, and on internet websites www.journeys.com,
www.journeyskidz.com, www.shibyjourneys.com, www.undergroundstation.com,
www.johnstonmurphy.com, www.dockersshoes.com and www.lids.com. The Company
also sells footwear at wholesale under its Johnston & Murphy brand and under
the licensed Dockers brand. Additional information on Genesco and its
operating divisions may be accessed at its website www.genesco.com.

SOURCE Genesco Inc.

Financial, James S. Gulmi, +1-615-367-8325, or Genesco Media Contact, Claire
S. McCall, +1-615-367-8283