Oh how I miss that little local sports store. I have 3 boys. In the last four days I’ve needed replacement batting gloves, a basketball, a bike helmet, a lacrosse/ hockey helmet,
baseball pants and baseball/soccer socks. That too- small lacrosse stick also had to be returned to the mega store (where the nice saleswoman selected the wrong stick for my youngest.) Naturally, I learned of these "needs" on different days from different offspring.
Monday, my venture to Fairway led to a convenient stop at Target, where I was able to pick up a bike helmet, fingers crossed that it would fit the little guy’s head. Too bad he has not yet lost his batting gloves or basketball, as Tarjay carries those. No lax helmet, though.
Wednesday was the date of misplaced equipment. Thursday I searched the basement and garage for old stuff, to no avail. So Friday I mapped out a course to get the most with the fewest stops. Ah, the
best laid plans. Or maps.
Only the big box stores cover all the sports. Active Sports is gone, as is Harrison’s Sam’s. The new store in Larchmont, Anzac, is primarily tennis. Blue Line West on Halstead Ave in Harrison only carries hockey and lacrosse. The store in Scarsdale’s Golden Horseshoe specializes in apparel not equipment.
So back I went to Sports Authority and returned the lax stick. I also bought baseball pants and gloves and a basketball, though it took ten minutes for someone to direct me to the appropriate size ball for a seven
year-old. But I bombed on the helmet. I couldn’t get any assistance on this (surprisingly) big ticket item and I was lost on my own.
Time to re-map: where in White Plains could I get help? The neighborhood ANL (from my childhood) is gone, probably a casualty of big box wars. Bob Peck’s Skate Shop is customer-friendly, but no longer carries lax. Fortunately a hockey helmet would suffice and Peck’s had an older model well-priced. And the owner held it for a couple of hours until I could bring my son back. Mr. Pecchia then spent nearly an hour making sure it fit my boy.
Oh how I’ve missed the personal service of a small shop. And the convenience of a local store. Which brings me back to the former hometown Active Sports. After this morning’s last-minute darning of baseball socks,
the challenge resumes.
Staropoli brothers (or anyone else): are you listening?
–Maura wrote this article from the sidelines, on an iPhone
ANL moved further south down the Post Road…back near where they used to be a hundred years ago…very knowledgeable staff there….and pro quality stuff if you are willing to pay
I hate to upset any nostalgic Larchmonters, but in my opinion, Active Sports didn’t close because of the economy…they closed because they were not offering a very good service. The guys were really good guys, but I never got the impression that they were knowledgeable in a lot of sports.
Their prices were always very high, even for low quality merchandise.. Modell’s in New Roc is pretty convenient and their prices blew Active away…(Modell’s in Port Chester has the best inventory, btw)…
I would much rather have a store there that sold “Larchmont” and “Mamaroneck” apparel; offered professional services like sharpening, uniform sales, and racket stringing, and top grade equipment for serious participants….
Active wasn’t known for being especially strong in any of those areas.
I thought ANL moved up the street in White Plains.