The Buzz of Northwest Georgia

Sports retailers growing here because 'sports products, events a tremendous economic engine'

Athletic wear such as the selection at Rome's newest sports shop, The Sports Stop, remains hot with local fans. Other stores offer equipment, too.

By Natalie Simms
nsimmshh@att.net

The sports retail business in Northwest Georgia is getting as competitive as the athletes each tries to satisfy.

The recent opening of Sports Stop at Mount Berry Square expands the list of stores offering sports merchandise, a list that already includes Owens Sporting Goods, two Hibbett Sports locations, Pokey’s Hometown Sports and a handful of others.

But each store seems to offer something unique for the customer.

While its name implies sports, the Sports Stop is actually a “fan” shop offering apparel and memorabilia for a variety of teams including college and all pro leagues: NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.

“We’re really more of a fan shop than a sports store,” says Bryan Allen, operations manager. “We focus on fan apparel and catering to fans.”

The store opened May 4 at the mall after moving from Arbor Place in Douglasville. Allen says they had been looking into the Rome market for three years.

“There was nothing like our store up here and we had to move (from Arbor Place) anyway so we thought we'd come up here and give it shot,” he says. “We’ve been open a week and we are doing better than we expected, especially since it’s off season for sports retail. So, we hope to be here a while.”

Since the Sports Stop does not sell any sports equipment and focuses on custom fan merchandise, Allen feels they're not in direct competition with other sporting goods retailers such as mall neighbors Pokey’s and Hibbett.

Justin Everett, owner of Pokey’s Hometown Sports, says that his store focuses on more “high-end” equipment used by more competitive athletes.

“We carry all the regular athletic equipment for baseball, football, soccer and basketball but we carry more of the higher-end items for the more competitive athletes like tournament playing athletes. We get a lot of customers outside of Rome for these items,” he says.

Everett says Pokey’s also is the only sports retailer that carries hunting and fishing equipment and especially targets tournament fishing, which is about 30 percent of his business.

“We carry a lot of high-end rods, reels and a huge selection of Zoom and Net Bait Plastics,” he says. “Being in the mall has really increased our traffic and exposure.”

Everett also has plans to add a batting cage and archery range alongside his store at the mall but doesn’t currently have a timetable for the project. “That’s a long-range goal, but something I would definitely like to do when I am able.”

While new retailers are busy at the mall, Owens Sporting Goods continues to be a fixture on Second Avenue in Downtown Rome. Owner Allen Mull says the sporting industry “as a whole” hasn’t been unscathed by the recession and his store is no different.

“Our retail side is flat and has suffered with most of the retailers in this economy but Owens has several divisions. Our Team and Institutional sales have seen a steady increase even in this recession,” he says.

Mull says Owens covers the entire state of Georgia, 30 percent of Alabama and 5 percent of Tennessee in providing team sales for high schools, junior colleges and four-year colleges.

“I think the industry as a whole has seen ‘Mom and Dad’ continue to invest in their child’s sports. They have chosen to put money into their children. Parents are relying more on the organizations to help with that, so they have centralized purchasing to achieve better price value,” he says.

“Sports in general, sports products and events are a tremendous economic engine for Rome. Sports in Rome really is an industry … over the past few years with the economic downturn, sports has been the growth engine for Rome.”

Calls to Hibbett were referred to corporate offices; those calls were not returned. Hibbett has a store at Mount Berry Square and the recently expanded store at Riverbend Center near Kroger.

Politics

-Preston Smith endorses Hufstetler: Former District 52 state Sen. Preston Smith has endorsed Chuck Hufstetler, one of at least three Republicans running for that seat this year. Smith represented mostly the same territory from 2003 to 2011 and lost a bid for attorney general in 2011.

-Cagle fund-raiser for Doss: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle held a fund-raiser for David Doss, another Republican Senate hopeful, in Atlanta on Thursday. Recommended contribution to attend: $250 a pop.

-Qualifying countdown: Doss and Hufstetler face Hayden Collins in the July 31 Republican primary. There are no Democratic challengers as yet with qualifying set for May 23-25.

-GOP picks 337 Broad St. Look for the Floyd County Republican Party to opens its seasonal headquarters at 337 Broad St. on May 21 with a grand opening to follow. Another location had been in play. Floyd's Democrats are at 5 Broad St. in the Cotton Block area.

-Check the crowd, not just the podium: The Greater Rome Chamber will host a Post-Legislative Brunch at 9 a.m. at Coosa Country Club. The main course is a report from incumbent lawmakers on the 2012 General Assembly. The dessert should be the candidates in the audience considering a run for the House and Senate. Register

Big changes at La Marie's, Palladium

-Marie Bishop-Brinson doesn't do things in a small way. She launched La Marie's at Magretta Hall on one of the biggest nights out of the year -- New Year's Eve -- and she started Sunday brunch service on the busiest dining day of the year, Mothers Day.

-That launch came with more than 460 diners with reservations and probably another 100-plus walk-ups on a huge Sunday afternoon.

-Sunday brunch is now part of La Marie's lineup as the last of Brinson's Sunday dinners at The Palladium also was staged on Mothers Day. She's consolidating Sunday offerings at La Marie's at Broad Street and Second Avenue.

-And there's more. By next Monday, she'll have an expanded lunch menu, incorporating a lot of what partner George Kastanias brought to La Marie's in January as he closed the tea room on Broad Street. Kastanias has since joined Moe's, according to a Rome News item.

-Brinson says she'll keep a lot of what Kastanias brought to the restaurant's lunch service but also add "heartier" meals to the menu that also appeal to more men.

Goodwill centralizes at Etowah Crossing: That convenient Goodwill drop-off spot near the East Rome Wal-mart is gone. The shop closed Saturday with workers heading to the recently opened Rome store at Etowah Crossing or to other venues. Goodwill had been at the strip center off U.S. 411 for several years. The larger store with a career center opened at Etowah Crossing in the former Kroger location in December. That leaves both ends of the strip center open, following Milano's exit late last year.

Rome's Douan named to canine professionals Hall of Fame

-The International Association of Canine Professionals has named Rome resident Cyndy Douan, owner of the Georgia Dog Gym and Kingston Kennels, to its hall of fame. Douan was cited for "dedication, commitment and accomplishment that influenced the path of the IACP."  Said Dan Pate, D.V.M. and owner of West Rome Animal Clinic, in the media release: "Cyndy is a master trainer and dog behaviorist. Her expertise allows her to teach the people of Rome and surrounding areas how to live in harmony with man's best friend."