Dan Weaselfat came into Calgary’s 2nd Chance Sports looking for goalie equipment but he ended up checking out some special surprises.
Owner Kevan Manering had pulled out a few treasures from “the vintage vault,” eagerly showing them to customers.
Among the items were a couple of hockey sticks from the 1960s bearing the stamped names of hockey legends Bobby Hull and Bobby Orr.
WATCH: Hockey legend Bobby Hull tells hilarious story about first WHA draft involving the Howes
“Big old curve that Bobby (Hull) would have,” Weaselfat said with a laugh. “That’s pretty neat.”
“I think this was for kids, not necessarily the NHL,” Manering said. “Endorsed by Bobby Hull. And this one is Bobby Orr.”
Manering said the sticks “walked into the store” sometime during his 25 years of running 2nd Chance Sports, a second-hand shop that carries a wide variety of equipment.
“We pretty well cover almost every sport,” Manering said, “even cricket.”
But now he’s got the business up for sale.
“Just like a hockey player; they don’t play forever.”
READ MORE: Edmontonians encouraged to donate used skating equipment for kids in need
Manering and his wife Lauretta have enjoyed giving generations of Calgarians an affordable way to try out new sports.
“It’s fun to be able to help families grow together by doing sports,” Lauretta said.
READ MORE: Olympic success in short track speed skating an inspiration for Calgary athletes
The business is getting one last boost from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
“The Olympics do create a very strong interest in snowboarding, skiing, but especially the cross-country skiing,” Manering said.
The Manerings said they’ll close down the northeast Calgary store if they don’t find a buyer, but they’re hoping someone will see the opportunity and keep the place going.
Comments