Getting Personal Part of Sports Replay's Success

Sports Replay, the Stratford Patch Readers’ Choice award winner for best sporting goods store in 2012, has been a feature at Paradise Green since 1999.

So what keeps it going?

“Knowing every one of our customers on a personal level,” says owner Jeff Wilkerson.

Folks who come into Sports Replay aren’t in a scramble to spend and scram, he says. It’s not “take your money and get out” like at big box stores Sports Authority and Dicks Sporting Goods.

Wilkerson knows the kids and parents who frequent his store and is familiar with their needs.

For example, he offers customers the option to sell back or trade used sports equipment previously purchased at the store. Kids are constantly upgrading, growing out of or getting bored with equipment, so Wilkerson extends the option to get some money back.

He says that feature “is one of the biggest things that keeps our store open.”