Business Connections: Over 20 Years of Play It Again

Play It Again Sports owner Brian Coleman is navigating rows of winter sports gear. With over 20 years of experience in Stoneham, he knows that it is the prime season for winter sports gear. The store is massive and filled with gear from all different equipment.

Brian took a few minutes to talk sports with Stoneham Patch.  

SP: How long have you guys been here?

BC: 23 Years

SP: Wow. What got you into this line of work?

BC: This place was a franchise and we were the first on the East Coast. I always wanted to start a business and I’ve always been involved in sports.

SP: Sports in Stoneham?

BC: Well, I grew up in Medford and I live in Reading now, so we try to supply all over this area.

SP: What’s a big seller for you guys right now?

BC: This time of year, skiing and snowboarding gear is in high demand. Also, a lot of pond skates. We’re having an early winter this year, so those are most popular items for us.

SP: What’s the big seller in general?

BC: Definitely hockey gear and skates. Hockey is real big in this area and it’s so equipment intense. There’s so much involved in it, so much gear with the helmets and pads and the skates. It’s totally different than say basketball, where you need a ball, shorts and sneakers. With hockey, pretty much every part of the body is covered by some protective padding. Our second biggest seller is downhill skis.

SP: What sport were you playing that got you interested in this job?

BC: I was playing pretty much everything. Lacrosse, baseball, all the outdoor sports. I mountain bike, ran track. I tried everything I could. I wasn’t fantastic at any of them, but I sure loved playing.

SP: How has this area changed in the 23 years you’ve been here?

BC: It’s stayed fairly the same.  Not a lot of changes. This was a kayak/pool store and the other portion of the store was a gymnastics studio. This was originally a lot smaller with loading docks, which eventually turned into a retail space.