By Kate Quesada
Bruce and Dantys Bohan want to be the first people you think of when your little ball player needs a new mitt or a bigger pair of soccer cleats. The FishHawk Trails residents recently opened FishHawk Sporting Goods and are working hard to make it the area’s first stop for new and gently used equipment from soccer and basketballs to hockey pucks and baseball knickers.
Located in the RiverSprings Plaza at the corner of FishHawk Blvd. and Bell Shoals Rd., proximity is one of the many reasons the Bohan’s believe the area needed this store.
“The idea for a sporting goods store was solidified for us when our twin girls started playing t-ball,” said Dantys. “Kids on their team were constantly losing their mitts or complaining that their cleats were too small and we thought, how can there not be somewhere closer than Brandon to buy sports equipment quickly when there are so many players in our area?”
According to Dantys, approximately 80 percent of the merchandise in the store is new, but they also buy select gently used equipment from customers if they believe it is something the neighborhood would like to purchase.
“Because we buy some equipment used, we are able to offer things at a lower price point,” said Dantys. “We have had a lot of families in here already who are grateful for the opportunity to be able to budget their money as well as their time.”
The Bohans are throwing themselves into the community in an effort to differentiate their store from other larger ones in the area and find out what kind of sporting goods the community most needs. Not only have they sponsored many FishHawk area baseball teams, they also work with Newsome High School’s hockey team and sponsored the Turkey Trot that took place at Park Square over Thanksgiving. In addition, they have set up areas where kids can play while their parents shop and encourage customers to try out equipment in the store before they buy it.
FishHawk Sporting Goods is hosting a grand opening event on Saturday, February 11 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with treats, snacks, specials and discounts and a drawing for two tickets to a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game. The store is located at 13446 Boyette Rd. For information, visit www.fishhawksportinggoods.com or call 324-9161.
