Today, I can walk into a brick-and-mortar Pure Goalie store in Marlboro, Mass., or Dover, N.H., or Long Island, N.Y., or a Hockey Monkey in Norwood, Mass., or Derry, N.H., or Woodbridge, N.J., and I’m simply blown away by the amount of goalie gear these places carry. Even well into my 50s, I still feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store.
Where were these stores when I was a kid? Granted, when I was in high school, in the 1970s, we goalies in Manchester, N.H., were lucky enough to have a place called Barrett’s on Maple Street, which actually dedicated an entire wall to goalie gear. Given the sparse selections that were available in northeastern New Jersey, where I grew up before moving north, I was ecstatic with having an above-average selection.
But in the 1980s, everything changed for Boston-area goaltenders when Sports Etc. opened for business. Established on Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington, Mass., by Margie and Vinnie Phaneuf, Sports Etc. quickly developed a reputation as a store that catered to goaltenders. That had a great deal to do with the hiring of Paul Stanton more than 30 years ago.
"Sports Etc. — first under Vinnie and Margie Phaneuf, and now Paul — has set a standard for goalie families," said Arlington’s Joe Bertagna, the Hockey East commissioner who is entering his 43rd season running goalie camps. "I’ve been saying for years that shopping around for best price on every piece of goalie equipment might yield savings, but at the cost of service. Sports Etc. has no peer in that regard."
Roughly five years ago, Stanton bought Sports Etc. from the Phaneufs. But his commitment to goaltenders remains unchanged. "For Sports Etc., the direction of goalie specialty has roots in our relationship with Mike Vaughn, which started back in the mid-’80s," said Stanton. "Through this relationship, our knowledge and understanding of the position grew and the need for an area specific for goalies grew. When we moved to our current location and gained the space needed to create a goalie specific area was a no-brainer.
"For goalies from the area and beyond, we are a location that offers both expertise and on-hand inventory to suit all their needs," he said. "Long gone are the days of, ‘Well, we can order that for you.’ A goalie can walk in here, get professional advice and walk out with gear. We are also happy to help goalies order their custom gear."
Today, Sports Etc., which measures out at roughly 7,000 square feet, has more than 3,000 square feet dedicated to goaltending equipment, including a sheet of synthetic ice that allows customers to sample and compare different gear, and a large-screen television monitor connected to a computer to help with customizing leg pads and gloves.
Though the number of large-scale manufacturers is shrinking, customers can still find most of the major brands at Sports Etc., including Vaughn, CCM, Bauer, Brian’s and Warrior, sticks by Sher-Wood and custom skates by VH. Stanton estimates his store has more than 100 sets of leg pads alone, in numerous price points.
"I’ve worked here with Paul for nearly 30 years and we’ve helped countless goalies between us," said Rich O’Rourke. "In my humble opinion, Paul is the best goalie equipment guy in the area, retail or otherwise."
O’Rourke represents what Stanton said he believes is the single most important factor that sets Sports Etc. apart. "Our staff has always been the difference between Sports Etc. and other shops," said Stanton. "Most of our goalie staff has at least 10 years of experience helping goalies, with a few of us closer to 30 years.
"We make sure our staff is not only the best-trained staff, but we make sure they are current and up to the second as far as emerging trends in the positions," he said. "Bottom line is that a goalie’s needs are different from players’ (needs), so you need a staff that understands these needs."
Stanton said that expertise not only benefits his goalies, but also their parents. That’s no small consideration, given the price that new goalie gear costs. The Sports Etc. staff can suggest gear that not only fits the goaltender, but also the family budget.
"No doubt the biggest mistake is getting gear that is too big," said Stanton. "The prevailing thought is, if you get your gear bigger than recommended, you’ll get longer use out of it. Not only does this typically not work out, but it also means your equipment is working against you from the onset as opposed to working for you.
"The other issue is the ‘sticker shock’ syndrome," he said. "There is a preconceived notion on the high cost of goalie gear. We’ve made it a point to carry goalie gear at every price range to accommodate the range of customers we service.
"The truth is, outfitting a younger goalie compares very reasonably to outfitting a young skater head to toe."
