• BlueGoldAg
    1.2k
    The Davis Sport Shop, which has been run by the Belenis and Patella families over the years, will be closing at the end of July...another small business that has been devastated by the pandemic.

    The following is from the Davis Enterprise article by Wendy Weitzel:

    After 56 years, Davis Sport Shop announced it will close at the end of July, owner Aaron Patella said.

    “I want to thank all of the loyal customers that have supported the Patella family and the Davis Sport Shop for the past 42 years,” he wrote in an email. “Sadly, with the economic devastation over the past four months due to COVID-19, the uncertainty of the timing of the return of sports, and the changing economic model of internet shopping, we will be closing up the shop at the end of the month.”

    The late George Belenis opened the store on Second Street in 1964. Patella’s father, John, purchased the store in 1978. Along the way, it was in the Brinley Building at E Street before moving to its final home at 241 F St. in 2016.

    “Over the years, the store has worked with local schools, little leagues, youth groups, adult teams, universities, professional teams and even some international teams,” Patella said. “We have been blessed with some outstanding employees that have become lifelong family friends. We have worked with excellent coaches, league and school leaders and the best sales representatives in the business, and are thankful to all of them.”

    He concluded, “We will be open through the end of the month, trying to sell through existing inventory and to say goodbye and thank you to our customers … please stop by or call for a mail order. Though this is a sad ending to a long relationship with a wonderful community, we are proud and grateful to have been part of it for so long.”

    https://www.davisenterprise.com/business/final-inning-for-davis-sport-shop/?utm_source=DE&utm_campaign=075f8ebe1a-Daily_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_be64fee185-075f8ebe1a-171004309
  • movielover
    534
    Sad, especially given that it seems we should be welcoming students back to town.

    Recent statistics show a mortality rate below the standard flu for people under 70. For those under 30 it is even lower. Sweden seems to have made the right choice.

    Other businesses which have closed or filed for bankruptcy:

    JCrew
    Gold's Gym
    Neiman Marcus
    Brooks Brothers
    Pier 1 Imports
    Hertz
    JC Penny
    Lucky Brand
    GNC
    Prima Restaurant
    Fresh Choice
    Sweet Tomatoes
  • 72Aggie
    322

    "Sweden seems to have made the right choice."
    Sweden has a higher mortality rate, and herd immunity remains elusive. https://fortune.com/2020/07/16/sweden-covid-strategy-herd-immunity-elusive/

    "...a mortality rate below the standard flu for people under 70."
    Assuming your claim is true - (Authorities would be helpful.)
    What is an acceptable number of deaths for you?
    At what age do you feel people become expendable?
  • agalum
    333
    Sad to see it go. The survivors are the ones that could make a presence with online sales. I do my best to support local, but ebay and amazon are so darn easy.
  • DrMike
    742
    I think DSS was heading this direction without the virus. Lots of competition out there, including the downtown Aggie Pride store.
  • fugawe09
    194
    I think you’re right. COVID may have been the last nail but it’s probably the internet helping to end this kind of store. Was nice to have an alternative to the campus store where the average sweatshirt price is over $60, but there are more reasonable licensed online dealers now too. I don’t know if it was a factor in this one but I’ve heard from other downtown businesses that over the past few years a couple of deep pocketed out of town interests have been buying up all the downtown real estate and jacking the rents to push out the local shops and they are willing to let stores sit empty to force the city’s hand on letting more corporate chains in.
  • movielover
    534
    The fairly large campus store downtown and campus store at major events didn't help DSS. Does Woodland Costco carry Aggie gear?
  • fugawe09
    194
    Idk, I’m not in the area anymore but they may. Years ago I did find t-shirts at Dixon Walmart.
  • 72Aggie
    322
    Local stores had enough competition from Amazon, et. al, before the pandemic. I have always tried to support the local merchant, then the big chain's local branch, before going online. The lockdown has made this all even more difficult. Local stores may not be open, you may have to make an appointment, or stand in line in midsummer valley heat, or the store may be low on inventory. Amazon is there during this mess.
  • BlueGoldAg
    1.2k
    Lead story in the sports section of the Sac Bee about the Davis Sport Shop closing this Friday.

    https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article244386322.html
  • zythe
    109
    Does the Bee ever report anything positive regarding UC Davis?

    Seriously, I am hard pressed to ever read something positive from them about Davis.
  • BlueGoldAg
    1.2k
    Joe Davidson has often written very positive articles about Aggie sports and he did a really nice job on this poignant article about the Davis Sport Shop closing.
  • zythe
    109
    I guess I should read the article before going off. Sorry about that.
  • fugawe09
    194
    If anything the Bee needs more local interest stories like this. You’d be forgiven for assuming it’s negative from the title because most of the Bee’s “investigative reports” (not just on UCD) are not much more than one-sided opinion smear jobs trying to sound juicy enough to get picked up by AP.
  • AggieFinn
    502
    That little shop had a lot of the best Aggie gear...hope UCD Bookstore picks up the pace.
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