Photos by Michael Thompson.
Plaid Racquet was recently purchased by Al Rivers, who took over the store from its longtime owners Ed and Lynda Smith. The couple opened the tennis shop 27 years ago at 9756 Gayton Road in the Gayton Crossing Shopping Center. Its last day there was in March, coinciding with the deal, before Rivers moved it less than two miles east to 8962 Quioccasin Road.
The Smiths announced the sale and subsequent move in an email newsletter. The San Diego transplants opened The Plaid Racquet in 1989. The store sells tennis equipment, accessories and services like racquet stringing.
The shop’s new storefront on Quioccasin Road.
“I was getting more and more burned out,” Smith said, adding it was always a joy to give a good racquet recommendation. “It’s been a fun run.”
Smith said The Plaid Racquet’s best year was in 2006 when the business brought in $500,000 in sales; average years saw sales figures closer to $300,000 and $400,000. He attributes the success in 2006 to The Plaid Racquet being one of the only places to buy Babolot racquets, which are used by Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick.
“We sold a lot of racquets that year,” Smith said. “We were the only place you could get them. Now you can get them anywhere.”
In the past few years, the business has suffered as ecommerce has come onto the retail scene, Smith said. Customers have entered the store asking if The Plaid Racquet could match prices found on the internet, which the small shop could not do.
“We were getting a lot of competition from the internet,” he said. “I just didn’t see any way around it.”
Rivers, who has a background in sporting goods retail and tennis coaching, reopened the business as The Plaid Racquet & More on April 2 in a 2,000-square-foot space in the Quioccasin Station Shopping Center. He would not discuss the financials of the deal, which is two years in the making after his wife, a tennis player, told him about The Plaid Racquet being for sale.
“We were very much aware of The Plaid Racquet,” Rivers said, adding that the business has been an important contributor to the Richmond tennis scene. “You don’t have many specialty stores left.”
Prior to purchasing the business, Rivers spent time in The Plaid Racquet observing the business in action. He emphasized the following the Smiths had built with their focus on tennis products and services offered by a knowledgeable staff.
“Twenty-eight years in business for any business is kind of amazing in itself, especially with the competition of the internet,” he said.
The Plaid Racquet & More will look to keep an edge in the face of ecommerce and retailers like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods by sticking to its niche of tennis products. Rivers said he has expanded the store’s offerings of racquets and tennis shoes and upgraded its point-of-sale system.
“We want to offer more of what we’re good at,” Rivers said. “It’s a tough retail climate that we’re all working in.”
In May, Sports Authority felt just how tough the retail climate can be as it announced plans to begin liquidation sales and close about 140 stores, including five shops in Virginia.
Rivers said now that the store’s new address shows up on web searches, many of The Plaid Racquets’ customers have followed him to Quioccasin Road.
Broker Martin Blum of Colliers International handled The Plaid Racquet & More’s lease at Quioccasin Station, which is also home to the music venue The Tin Pan.
“It affords us to be close enough to Broad Street but not pay what you pay on Broad Street,” Rivers said.
Photos by Michael Thompson.
Plaid Racquet was recently purchased by Al Rivers, who took over the store from its longtime owners Ed and Lynda Smith. The couple opened the tennis shop 27 years ago at 9756 Gayton Road in the Gayton Crossing Shopping Center. Its last day there was in March, coinciding with the deal, before Rivers moved it less than two miles east to 8962 Quioccasin Road.
The Smiths announced the sale and subsequent move in an email newsletter. The San Diego transplants opened The Plaid Racquet in 1989. The store sells tennis equipment, accessories and services like racquet stringing.
The shop’s new storefront on Quioccasin Road.
“I was getting more and more burned out,” Smith said, adding it was always a joy to give a good racquet recommendation. “It’s been a fun run.”
Smith said The Plaid Racquet’s best year was in 2006 when the business brought in $500,000 in sales; average years saw sales figures closer to $300,000 and $400,000. He attributes the success in 2006 to The Plaid Racquet being one of the only places to buy Babolot racquets, which are used by Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick.
“We sold a lot of racquets that year,” Smith said. “We were the only place you could get them. Now you can get them anywhere.”
In the past few years, the business has suffered as ecommerce has come onto the retail scene, Smith said. Customers have entered the store asking if The Plaid Racquet could match prices found on the internet, which the small shop could not do.
“We were getting a lot of competition from the internet,” he said. “I just didn’t see any way around it.”
Rivers, who has a background in sporting goods retail and tennis coaching, reopened the business as The Plaid Racquet & More on April 2 in a 2,000-square-foot space in the Quioccasin Station Shopping Center. He would not discuss the financials of the deal, which is two years in the making after his wife, a tennis player, told him about The Plaid Racquet being for sale.
“We were very much aware of The Plaid Racquet,” Rivers said, adding that the business has been an important contributor to the Richmond tennis scene. “You don’t have many specialty stores left.”
Prior to purchasing the business, Rivers spent time in The Plaid Racquet observing the business in action. He emphasized the following the Smiths had built with their focus on tennis products and services offered by a knowledgeable staff.
“Twenty-eight years in business for any business is kind of amazing in itself, especially with the competition of the internet,” he said.
The Plaid Racquet & More will look to keep an edge in the face of ecommerce and retailers like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods by sticking to its niche of tennis products. Rivers said he has expanded the store’s offerings of racquets and tennis shoes and upgraded its point-of-sale system.
“We want to offer more of what we’re good at,” Rivers said. “It’s a tough retail climate that we’re all working in.”
In May, Sports Authority felt just how tough the retail climate can be as it announced plans to begin liquidation sales and close about 140 stores, including five shops in Virginia.
Rivers said now that the store’s new address shows up on web searches, many of The Plaid Racquets’ customers have followed him to Quioccasin Road.
Broker Martin Blum of Colliers International handled The Plaid Racquet & More’s lease at Quioccasin Station, which is also home to the music venue The Tin Pan.
“It affords us to be close enough to Broad Street but not pay what you pay on Broad Street,” Rivers said.