Sports Chalet will be closing all of its stores

[surf4food]

Most of you have probably seen this already.  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sport-chalet-closing-20160416-story.html

[Weasels wake]

I, like many others here, bought my very first pair of skis there (1962'ish), well my parents paid for them, but you get my drift.
Wood "Elites" with screw on metal edges and cable bindings, and they were red!

[supdiscobay]

I saw the article and then went down there to pick up a few license plate frames.  They have an I'd rather be paddling frame and of course surfing too!
Left there to stop at Trader Joes and saw a sign in a vacant store near Trader Joes that Sport Chalet was opening up there.  The article didn't really say anything about downsizing, so I am really not sure what they are doing. Maybe it will open as an Eastern Mountain Sports store.

[Admin]

Almost all of the big box, brick and mortar sports stores of our youth are dead or dying.  Sports Authority (which included the remnants of Sportmart, Gart, and Copelands), Eastern Mountain Sports, Bob's, Sports Chalet, Pac Sun all in bankruptcy.  Additionally the Clymb was sold for $100 K with the new owner assuming $18 Million in debt.  Altrec had a similar story...and tons of small local shops have folded and are continuing to do so.  There will be a lot more fallout in the next 24 months. 

[PonoBill]

It's odd to me that I can never find what I want in the quality I want at a big box store. they have a lot of not very good stuff. Maybe it's different for some sports. they seem to only stock the bottom of the line. Perhaps they simply can't sell quality stuff.

[surf4food]

Well as was stated in this article and all the other ones, online sales are a huge part of it.  Still, I find it hard to believe most consumers don’t want to psychically look at and touch the item they are considering for purchase.  But yeah I agree with Pono about the quality.  Big ticket items like bikes and kayaks and even SUPs are often of low quality.  Or they might be top reputable brands but entry level.  More traditional items like baseball, football, lacrosse etc. they carry I assume are of good quality.
On a separate note, REI is thriving. 

[hbsteve]

It seems that they couldn't sell not so good quality stuff either.

[Subber]

There seems to be more and more quality used stuff on craigslist, e-bay and
at the Goodwill at good prices.  Not sure if that is taking a toll or not.

[Zooport]

So sad.  Sport Chalet was always one of my favorite sporting goods stores.  I was in there a couple of times a week back when I was an avid SCUBA diver.  Cheapest air fills in town. 

[Board Stiff]

I've never been to a Sports Chalet, but it's too bad they're taking down some EMS stores with them. Fortunately our Portsmouth EMS will remain open. I've run in there more than once when I needed to replace some gear at the last minute before a race or other event.

[SlatchJim]

The Sports Chalet in our neighborhood chose the absolute worst location in the worst parking lot and somehow remained open for years.  REI is in a great spot, and based on accessibility alone, I choose to go there.  I like there stuff more too.

[PonoBill]

I've never seen cheap crap in an REI. It's a different model, I guess, but I know I can get good stuff there. I'm always surprised at how often I walk out empty handed when I go to the huge Sports Authority store here on Maui. They never seem to have what I want.

[TallDude]

I took my kids to Sports Chalet last night to check out the deals. 10% off of everything. That's it! The outlet stores are at 40% and 50% off everyday. Sports Chalet always had close to the top of the line ski & boarding equipment and top notch mounting & repair. Down the street from our house they are remodeling a plaza (former Kmart / Sears location). One of the new stores going in is Sports Authority? It's going to hurt the old Big 5 sporting goods less than a mile away. Then again, Big 5 is actually a very busy gun & amo store.

[Admin]

Sports Authority Closing All 450 Stores

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lauraheller/2016/04/30/sports-authority-closing-all-stores/#444c997d2203

"Sporting goods brands have been increasingly under pressure and consolidation within this category will likely increase. There is also talk that Bass Pro Shops is interested in buying Cabela’s."

[lucabrasi]

I wonder if it will be just Mile High Stadium again?
SA, Dicks, Big 5.....all crap I think. I live in trout country. That's it for 100's of miles. There are bass lures and catfish stuff all over the SA here. Whose buying for this store? Nothing special about any of them but my word, the baseball/softball section at a Dicks down south is as big as the entire SA in my town. Same with the golf section but all off the rack stuff for golf but everything and anything. Nothing custom or special for their clubs really. They do have fitting areas and you can order but really nothing special.
Nothing beats a "niche" store for knowledge and good stuff. A very good chance the crews knowledge at SA and Dicks is most likely limited to the 20 minute rundown from the manufacture rep. I would never bring my skis to one for a tune. Golf pro shop, skis, bikes, boards, fishing, etc tho many of us will get our info and pointers there and turn around and find it online for cheaper. I have been guilty of such but actually try and make a point not to do so. Many of the "niche" stores are mom and pop type and I don't mind paying a bit extra tho leaps and bounds may be something different. Most of our ski shops here have been bought up by the resort and kept the old name. Still a one off resort and I still try and support to a point but it's not the same in my mind as when John or Bob had the store.
Interesting on the Bass Pro. Cabelas used to be an adventure to go into....when you ran across one. It has become so diluted over the last 10 years or so there is absolutely nothing special about them anymore.
Pretty amazing how busy the UPS guy is now, ain't it.