‘Buy, sell, trade’ outlet’s strategy gaining traction

In 1992, TJ Western joined the Play It Again Sports franchise, opening a store at 1401 Garnet Ave. “At that point, the brand wasn’t nearly as strong as it is now, and that’s helped build the value of their brand over the years,” Western said. Play It Again Sports leads the nation in the buying and selling of quality used sports and fitness equipment, he said. Two decades later, Western’s Pacific Beach store is now at the head of the pack, leading the rest of the 330 franchises. Recently, he received both the Heritage Award and Store of the Year Award during the brand’s annual franchise convention. This is the first time in Play It Again’s 24-year history that a single location has garnered the two awards in the same year. To top it off, Western’s store ended 2011 up 25 percent in revenue over the previous year. “TJ is an entrepreneur whose continued growth is driven by his passion for his business,” said Pat Quinn, director of Play It Again Sports. “It’s remarkable for one store to win both of these awards in the same year. TJ and his team truly knocked 2011 out of the park.” Western credits his success to a good team and great game plan. “My manager, Jay Yount, has done an incredible job at building our product selections and working with our fantastic staff in delivering superior customer service,” Western said. Play It Again Sports in Pacific Beach works for high-quality customer service and, as a result, has a diverse inventory to keep all types of customers happy, according to Western. “Watersports is a big category for us, and bicycles,” Western said. “We also feature golf and core fitness training equipment and skateboarding stuff. Really, the focus is primarily action sports.” The store’s diverse inventory appeals to a diverse customer base, said Western — another reason the store has been successful. In the 20 years Play It Again Sports has been open in Pacific Beach, Western has seen the crowd change as the neighborhood changes. When the store first opened, the customer base was mostly made up of college students. Western said he’s now seeing more families and handfuls of foreign visitors, who he said come to San Diego for the beach lifestyle — something that plays right into the store’s strategy. Not only are people from around the globe coming in, but so are people from nearby neighborhoods like La Jolla. And they’re stopping by specifically to do businesses with the company and benefit from the used-product value. Used products give Play It Again Sports a niche that separates it from other sporting-goods stores. The local franchise creates a value for the customer when they can trade in their unwanted used equipment for a completely different category of sporting goods or to upgrade. Another reason for the store’s increase in revenue over last year is the use of new strategies in reaching customers, Western said. Play It Again Sports has recently taken initiative with Internet advertising and Western said he recommends other businesses people to do the same. “I would look at new avenues of marketing and focus on customer service because that’s the most effective way to compete with the larger chains,” he said. The main focus though, will be on continuing to diversify and grow their inventory — specifically focusing on growing the bike selections and making that a key category in sales. The store has just added stand-up paddle boards to its roster and is looking to increase inventory in action cameras, beach toys and accessories. For more information, call (858) 490-0222, or visit www.playitagainsportssd.com.