New sports shop caters for all sports and clubs

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 35

New sports shop caters for all sports and clubs

For too long now, such sports as softball, rugby league and hockey have had to play ‘second fiddle’ to those with high profiles, such as netball and rugby. Two men have decided to help cater for these sports, and their shop is now stocked with all the latest softball, league and hockey gear. After “dabbling” in indoor cricket, cricket and team wear for 12 months, Messrs Dave Smith and Wilf Lock have just recently opened up a new sports shop at the Countdown Centre, called Sports People’s Warehouse. Having tested the market for some time, the coowners found that there was a definite need in Christchurch for a sports shop which catered for the lower profile sports. They are now well known throughout Christchurch as specialists in indoor cricket gear, as well as cricket. Their special link to the growing sport of indoor cricket is largely due to Mr Lock’s enthusiasm for the game. According to Mr Smith, Mr Lock was the first person to set up an indoor cricket centre in Christchurch, at Sockburn. He was also the former New Zealand coach for indoor cricket.

“Cricket was the support that basically got us off the ground, but we have now branched out to include all racket sports, golf, darts, rugby and rugby league, and team wear,” Mr Smith said. Sports People’s Warehouse sponsored the Canterbury indoor cricket team when it attended the national indoor cricket championships last year.

All club colours are provided for in any team sport whether it be rugby or darts.

Having shifted from an

industrial area, not easily accessible to the average shopper. Sports People’s Warehouse now enjoys a handy location at a major entrance to the Countdown Centre from the Clarence road side. What immediately catches the eye is the seemingly endless wall display of different sizes and weights of cricket bats.

With the large amount of space and much lighter conditions, Mr Lock says, there is much more room to display great amounts of sports gear as well as sports wear. Now known for its very wide variety of hockey, league and softball gear, Mr Lock says more and more people are coming

in to browse through this section. “These sports have been the poor relation for too long, and it didn’t take much to realise where the demand was, so we went for it,” Mr Dave Smith said. Riccarton is an ideal place in which to set up a sports shop say Messrs Smith and Lock because of the close vicinity of many different sports clubs, and the rapid growth of the shopper traffic in the area.

“We’re trying to cater for all sports needs and the wide variety of shoppers that come through Riccarton will no doubt indicate where the demand lies in sports,” Mr Smith said.