Welcome to Hockeyville: HockeyStickMan Thrives in Bay of Quinte
August 19, 2024
Much like hockey thrives in the Bay of Quinte, small businesses thrive in the region, as well. Add affordable hockey gear into that Bay of Quinte small business? Then you’ve got winning combination.
That’s how HockeyStickMan got its start. In December of 2010, HockeyStickMan was a family owned and operated business founded by Joey Walsh, his father, and 3 uncles, who repaired and refurbished hockey sticks for local families, players, and teams. Since then they’ve grown to one of the largest online hockey stores online, with 42 employees, a showroom in Toronto, and their warehouse and base of operations in the Bay of Quinte, all while remaining family owned and operated:
As they’ve grown they’ve “just needed to pull in a few more relatives,” says Walsh.
The Bay of Quinte, A Business Owners’ Dream: Organic Growth
The Bay of Quinte is home to many hockey teams and leagues, from recreational leagues for adults who want to get exercise and grew up loving and playing, to recreational and competitive youth leagues, to minor league teams, and pro teams like the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Even the Walshes’ family farm was home to a hockey rink in their front yard, where the family played every winter. The Walshes’ first hand experience as hockey players and lovers is what inspired the creation of hockey man. “We are saving hockey families money,” Walsh says.
Hockey is Canada’s national winter sport, but it’s also an expensive sport. HockeyStickMan filled the demand Bay of Quinte families, and eventually North Americans, had for high-quality refurbished hockey sticks.
And this growth was entirely organic. To keep the cost to the consumer low, HockeyStickMan remains committed to maintaining low operational costs. “We simply put our products out there at our best possible price and rely on word of mouth, which in the hockey world is everything,” says Walsh.
How Does HockeyStickMan Meet the Demand?
As HockeyStickMan grew, they branched out from repairing and refurbishing hockey sticks to also offer:
- New and never used sticks sourced directly from pro teams
- Sticks that are no longer on the market
- Blackout pro sticks
- Pro-quality sticks for youth players with lower flex profiles
HockeyStickMan collaborates with a local manufacturer to create their low-flex youth sticks. Since 2010, they’ve also stocked all hockey equipment, including accessories, apparel, goalie equipment, and protective gear for youth, recreational, and senior players.
Walsh cites their company’s relationship building to their success in sourcing sticks and the ability to price them at such low costs. “We work with 175 NHL, NCAA, CHL, and OHL teams across North America,” says Walsh. HockeyStickMan buys all of the pro-level hockey sticks that these leagues have pre-made but end up not being used.
Bay of Quinte Scores for Small Businesses
One thing Walsh knows for sure is that they wanted to keep HockeyStickMan Bay of Quinte based. “Belleville is where we grew up,” he says, but “it doesn’t have a hockey store”. That’s why HockeyStickMan built and opened its warehouse, just off highway 401 in the Bay of Quinte region. There, customers can enjoy 8500 sq. feet of hockey sticks and equipment at affordable prices. While the process for building and launching a brick-and-mortar location can be stressful, Walsh noted the economic development support available to local businesses in the Bay of Quinte.
Learn more about HockeyStickMan and how QEDC can help businesses in the Bay of Quinte. QEDC supports entrepreneurs, businesses, and the local workforce.
