NFR - Whatever happened to sports shops?

[bill taylors apprentice]

Lonsdale sports at the Hammersmith end of Fulham Palace road, run by the Mancini's with our own George Cohen.
As a lad I used to go in and have a chat because the Mancini's knew my Grandad, which meant I got to talk with Mr Cohen as well.
I remember trying to persuade him to sell the England shirt in the window (alongside a Brazil shirt) made by umbro for the 70 World Cup, in the days before replica shirts.
It was for display purposes only and he wouldn't sell it

Allsports in Fulham high street, below  Park view Court, opposite the chip shop where I got my first boots from, my first cricket bat etc.
Its a nail bar now, I think?

There was a small sports shop in the Fulham Road, almost opposite the Library (or was it closer to Lilyville Rd?) where I remember Bukta referee's kit always in the window.

Also another small sports shop just past the Fulham town hall on Harwood road (almost corner of Moore park rd) where I got my Gola sports bag and trainers mid 60's

Happy days!

[Mince n Tatties]

When I were a young lad, growing up just off the North End Road, we had such fine sporting establishments as Apollo Sport and World of Sport - the latter opened by Brian Jacks in about 1982. These were both fine examples of a sports shop. You could go in to either one and find a selection of great sports equipment, be it tennis racquets, cricket bats, table tennis paddles, judo outfits, football boots, basketballs etc.. They were just great. But where have they gone?

High Street sports shops these days are little more than fashion retailers. JD Sports is a dirty great trainer shop, Sports Direct is a dirty great tracksuit bottom and cheap trainer shop, with a sideline in extremely poor quality cheap sports gear.  There are no other options. At all.

Decathlon claims to be a sports shop, but is mostly own brand and seems to concentrate on the Outdoors adventures as opposed to true sports.

Any ideas? Should we all club together and start a sports shop?

It isn't just sports gear, the minimalising of alternatives and choices has affected everything - think of the tool shops, the foam and rubber dealers, the variety delicatessens, butchers, bakers, and candlestickmakers - they have all gone, disappeared, and with it a wealth of advice, information, and knowledge.  There used to be so many high street oddities but they have all disappeared in a world dominated by corporations who are not good at or for anything.

Well said! And decent music / film shops.

Although, I've seen a lot more butchers, delis and bakers popping up recently. There's some cracking ones on Askew Road. None on East Hill, Wandsworth yet though.

I had a small retail shop but ended up just being used for info so that people could go and buy items off the net, some had the cheek so come in and ask how to set them up, that is why there are so few small shops around, killed off by the internet and large out of town centres with free parking

Your right ER, not just sports shops these out of town centres have
Closed down.

[cookieg]

Bostocks in Mitcham was a good old sports shop "back in the day" as the yoof say now and there is a proper sports shop in Cheam.

The problem is that the traditional sports shop can't compete on price. Knowledge and advice are first class, something you don't get from Sports Direct or tinternet but ultimately it comes down to cost for people looking to keep the spending down.

My son goes through a pair football boots and trainers every season as his feet grow and so trying to buy sensibly always means ending up in Sports Direct.

[TheDaddy]

I used to spend my hard earned paper round money in Parks in Shepherds Bush on Subbuteo still have all the bits and bobs in my loft.

[epsomraver]

I used to spend my hard earned paper round money in Parks in Shepherds Bush on Subbuteo still have all the bits and bobs in my loft.

Didnt you find it hard not to lose the little men in the grass  :dft011:

[Berserker]

We have a real sports shop in Swindon called Don Rogers Sports, guess who owns it

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[The Cravenette]

Lonsdale sports at the Hammersmith end of Fulham Palace road, run by the Mancini's with our own George Cohen.
As a lad I used to go in and have a chat because the Mancini's knew my Grandad, which meant I got to talk with Mr Cohen as well.
I remember trying to persuade him to sell the England shirt in the window (alongside a Brazil shirt) made by umbro for the 70 World Cup, in the days before replica shirts.
It was for display purposes only and he wouldn't sell it

Allsports in Fulham high street, below  Park view Court, opposite the chip shop where I got my first boots from, my first cricket bat etc.
Its a nail bar now, I think?

There was a small sports shop in the Fulham Road, almost opposite the Library (or was it closer to Lilyville Rd?) where I remember Bukta referee's kit always in the window.

Also another small sports shop just past the Fulham town hall on Harwood road (almost corner of Moore park rd) where I got my Gola sports bag and trainers mid 60's

Happy days!

My uncle's dad used to own a couple if sports shops in Fulham when I was little. One was on New Kings Road, bear Parsons Green and the other may have been the one you mentioned opposite the library. They were called Gaby's.

[MikeW]

Interesting the mentions of shops run by old pro's.  Here in the West Country we had (in Stroud) a shop owned and run by Don Rogers of Swindon fame and I recall a very prominent shop called Doug Hillard Sports in Bristol (he was ex Rovers I think).
A mate who lived in the Midlands to this day has a carrier bag printed Ron Flowers Sports (ex Wolves).  Other than Eddie Lowe and Ian Black were there any other Fulham ex players with shops .... or who ran pubs, another popular career for old pro's?

[bill taylors apprentice]

Lonsdale sports at the Hammersmith end of Fulham Palace road, run by the Mancini's with our own George Cohen.
As a lad I used to go in and have a chat because the Mancini's knew my Grandad, which meant I got to talk with Mr Cohen as well.
I remember trying to persuade him to sell the England shirt in the window (alongside a Brazil shirt) made by umbro for the 70 World Cup, in the days before replica shirts.
It was for display purposes only and he wouldn't sell it

Allsports in Fulham high street, below  Park view Court, opposite the chip shop where I got my first boots from, my first cricket bat etc.
Its a nail bar now, I think?

There was a small sports shop in the Fulham Road, almost opposite the Library (or was it closer to Lilyville Rd?) where I remember Bukta referee's kit always in the window.

Also another small sports shop just past the Fulham town hall on Harwood road (almost corner of Moore park rd) where I got my Gola sports bag and trainers mid 60's

Happy days!

My uncle's dad used to own a couple if sports shops in Fulham when I was little. One was on New Kings Road, bear Parsons Green and the other may have been the one you mentioned opposite the library. They were called Gaby's.

Yes ! Gaby's
Its funny how knowing the name of the shop brings the memories back !
It was a tiny, old fashioned shop which never seemed to have a lot of stock compared to modern retailing.

I can almost see Mr "Gaby" in my minds eye now and I think his wife was often in the shop with him.
In those days shops like this never seemed very busy but I think they used to make money from the numerous "Park" teams who ordered their kit through shops like this.

[cmg]

Other than Eddie Lowe and Ian Black were there any other Fulham ex players with shops .... or who ran pubs, another popular career for old pro's?

Pubs:
Bedford Jezzard had the Thatched House in Dalling Road (where Shane McGowan liked to walk in the summer breeze by the dead old trees.)

Maurice Cook (must have been a centre-forward thing). "And when he finally hung up his boots Maurice and his wife, Joan, took over the old White Hart, Berkhamsted, (now the site of a supermarket), then they moved to the Oddfellows in Apsley and finally the Prince's Arms (now a restaurant) in Boxmoor." (obit.)

[The Equalizer]

Other than Eddie Lowe and Ian Black were there any other Fulham ex players with shops .... or who ran pubs, another popular career for old pro's?

Pubs:
Bedford Jezzard had the Thatched House in Dalling Road (where Shane McGowan liked to walk in the summer breeze by the dead old trees.)

Maurice Cook (must have been a centre-forward thing). "And when he finally hung up his boots Maurice and his wife, Joan, took over the old White Hart, Berkhamsted, (now the site of a supermarket), then they moved to the Oddfellows in Apsley and finally the Prince's Arms (now a restaurant) in Boxmoor." (obit.)

The bookies on Shorrolds Road, off North End Road, was once owned by one John Norman Haynes. He used to pop across the road to the Con Club occasionally for a game of snooker and a pint with my Dad.

[filham]

Most of those small shops that have gone missing were run by people who could offer a degree of advice that is not available in the large shops or on line, sure price is important but I am not sure we are really better off in this matter.

[Berserker]

We have a real sports shop in Swindon called Don Rogers Sports, guess who owns it

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

I remember that winning goal he scored for Swindon Town against Arsenal in the League Cup Final, all those years ago, was it in the early 70s.

Not quite sure of the date but I still have the red and white painted wooden football rattle my dad made me

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[The Cravenette]

Lonsdale sports at the Hammersmith end of Fulham Palace road, run by the Mancini's with our own George Cohen.
As a lad I used to go in and have a chat because the Mancini's knew my Grandad, which meant I got to talk with Mr Cohen as well.
I remember trying to persuade him to sell the England shirt in the window (alongside a Brazil shirt) made by umbro for the 70 World Cup, in the days before replica shirts.
It was for display purposes only and he wouldn't sell it

Allsports in Fulham high street, below  Park view Court, opposite the chip shop where I got my first boots from, my first cricket bat etc.
Its a nail bar now, I think?

There was a small sports shop in the Fulham Road, almost opposite the Library (or was it closer to Lilyville Rd?) where I remember Bukta referee's kit always in the window.

Also another small sports shop just past the Fulham town hall on Harwood road (almost corner of Moore park rd) where I got my Gola sports bag and trainers mid 60's

Happy days!

My uncle's dad used to own a couple if sports shops in Fulham when I was little. One was on New Kings Road, bear Parsons Green and the other may have been the one you mentioned opposite the library. They were called Gaby's.

Yes ! Gaby's
Its funny how knowing the name of the shop brings the memories back !
It was a tiny, old fashioned shop which never seemed to have a lot of stock compared to modern retailing.

I can almost see Mr "Gaby" in my minds eye now and I think his wife was often in the shop with him.
In those days shops like this never seemed very busy but I think they used to make money from the numerous "Park" teams who ordered their kit through shops like this.

Yes that would have been Bert and Marge Gaby and I think they did do a lot of football shirts for Sat/Sun league teams. My uncle should be at the match on Saturday so I will show him this thread.

[One James stannard]

When I were a young lad, growing up just off the North End Road, we had such fine sporting establishments as Apollo Sport and World of Sport - the latter opened by Brian Jacks in about 1982. These were both fine examples of a sports shop. You could go in to either one and find a selection of great sports equipment, be it tennis racquets, cricket bats, table tennis paddles, judo outfits, football boots, basketballs etc.. They were just great. But where have they gone?

High Street sports shops these days are little more than fashion retailers. JD Sports is a dirty great trainer shop, Sports Direct is a dirty great tracksuit bottom and cheap trainer shop, with a sideline in extremely poor quality cheap sports gear.  There are no other options. At all.

Decathlon claims to be a sports shop, but is mostly own brand and seems to concentrate on the Outdoors adventures as opposed to true sports.

Any ideas? Should we all club together and start a sports shop?

I too also lived just off north end road and I loved walking up to world of sport to get my new trainers or footy boots.
I brought my first snooker cue from appolo sports and used to feel like a pro on my way to the snooker hall either at the Fulham legion or the snooker club just off Putney Bridge.
The chap who I think owned appolo sports always gave me loads of old sports posters and various bits and bobs of advertising stuff.

Oh how I miss those days

[Steven Ageroad]

Lonsdale sports at the Hammersmith end of Fulham Palace road, run by the Mancini's with our own George Cohen.
As a lad I used to go in and have a chat because the Mancini's knew my Grandad, which meant I got to talk with Mr Cohen as well.
I remember trying to persuade him to sell the England shirt in the window (alongside a Brazil shirt) made by umbro for the 70 World Cup, in the days before replica shirts.
It was for display purposes only and he wouldn't sell it

Allsports in Fulham high street, below  Park view Court, opposite the chip shop where I got my first boots from, my first cricket bat etc.
Its a nail bar now, I think?

There was a small sports shop in the Fulham Road, almost opposite the Library (or was it closer to Lilyville Rd?) where I remember Bukta referee's kit always in the window.

Also another small sports shop just past the Fulham town hall on Harwood road (almost corner of Moore park rd) where I got my Gola sports bag and trainers mid 60's

Happy days!

Bought my first pair of roller skates in Lonsdale Sports cost me 19/6d, bought them with my paper round money that I'd saved up, came home on the number 11 bus proudly clutching my purchase and then when I got home eager to put them on and try them in my street, which couldn't do today.

Fond memories of my childhood in Fulham.