SPORTING LIFE

About
Originally located at 2045 Yonge Street, south of Eglinton, the company's early years were devoted to building clientele for its ski equipment, running shoes, racquet sports gear and fashion apparel for sports enthusiasts. Success came as a result of the untiring commitment to customer service, and the full range of product options available to help customers make more informed purchasing decisions.

Twenty-three years later, Sporting Life now has 4 locations, including its own 55,000 square-foot home at the corner of Yonge and Blythwood. Just down the road at Yonge and Roselawn is another facility that specializes in bikes and snowboards. In 1995, it established its third store in Etobicoke, a location that occupies 36,000 square-feet in Etobicoke's prestigious Sherway Gardens. Sporting Life's most recent store opened in December 2002 in downtown Collingwood, the heart of Ontario's ski country. These locations stock over 200 brand names, including fashion from Bogner, The North Face, Patagonia, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger, as well as equipment from Nike, Salomon, Rossignol, Burton, Specialized, Cannondale, Rollerblade, and more. Sporting Life is the single largest retailer to carry many of these lines. In 1979, the store had a staff of just fifteen; now the company consists of close to seven hundred associates.

Legacy
Sporting Life has built a name for itself as Toronto's premier retail destination for sporting goods, athletic wear, and fashion. Founded in 1979 by co-owners Patti Russell, Brian McGrath, and David Russell, the company's personality is as distinctive as its product lines. Sporting Life does far more than just sell sporting goods and fashions - it is a center for sports education, a leader in social responsibility and a reflection of the community it serves.

Sporting Life's success is well described by one of its leading suppliers, Kevin Wolf, former President and CEO of Nike Canada. "Customers keep coming back to the Sporting Life environment because of the excellent customer service, great value and outstanding selection," says Wolf. "It's unusual for a specialty store to dominate in the product categories it carries, but Sporting Life does so because it's not afraid to re-invent itself as the consumer evolves."

Originally located at 2045 Yonge Street, south of Eglinton, the company's early years were devoted to building clientele for its ski equipment, running shoes, racquet sports gear and fashion apparel for sports enthusiasts. Success came as a result of the untiring commitment to customer service, and the full range of product options available to help customers make more informed purchasing decisions.

Twenty-five years later, Sporting Life now has 5 locations, including its own 55,000 square foot home at the corner of Yonge and Blythwood. Just down the road at Yonge and Roselawn is another facility that specializes in bike and snowboards. In 1995 it established its third store in Etobicoke, a location that occupies 36,000 square feet in Etobioke's prestigious Sherway Gardens. Sporting Life's most recent store opened December 2002 in downtown Collingwood, the heart of Ontario's ski country. These locations stock over two hundred brand names including fashion from Bogner, The North Face, Patagonia, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, as well as equipment from Nike, Salomon, Rossignol, Burton, Specialized, Cannondale, Rollerblade and more. Sporting Life is the largest single retailer to carry many of these lines. In 1979, the store had a staff of just fifteen; now the company consists of close to seven hundred associates.

In 1980, starting with a few Lacoste shirts, the fashion side of Sporting Life quickly grew to accommodate high fashion items by Ralph Lauren, Esprit and Mexx. With the move to Yonge and Blythwood in 1985, fashion took on an even greater role. Sporting Life currently carries lines from Tommy Hilfiger, In-Wear, Joseph Abboud, Mexx, C.K. Calvin Klein, DKNY and more.

Consistent with the partners' original philosophy, and demonstrated by the move into fashion, Sporting Life keeps its ear firmly to the ground when it comes to finding out what customers want. And when Sporting Life conducted a survey of customer preferences in the early 1990s, they discovered a strong interest in cycling, which lead to the opening of Sporting Life Bikes and Boards in March 1992.

Aside from opening new locations and diversifying product lines, Sporting Life believes in meeting shoppers' needs at the grass roots level on a daily basis. Every member of the Sporting Life sales force is a sport or fashion enthusiast and is able to pass on a genuine understanding of the merchandise to his or her customers. And with more Sales Associates per square foot than any other sports retailer, Sporting Life provides a level of service that is unequaled anywhere in the country. Every new Sales Associate receives over forty hours of training, is tested on product knowledge, salesmanship, policy and attends daily meetings to analyze the characteristics and strengths of new merchandise.

As Descente representative James Bond, President of Bond Sales Agency put it, "While many companies strive toward customer satisfaction, or pay lip service to it, Sporting Life has achieved it."

Customer service comes not only from the staff however, but also from the service stations at all Sporting Life locations where racquets are restrung, bikes tuned, skis waxed, and bindings installed. Customers can also trade in their children's in-line, bike or ski equipment through the Junior Half-Back program, a popular concept that originated in Toronto at Sporting Life and is now copied by retailers across the city.

As Sporting Life has grown, so has the company's sense of community responsibility. Its commitment to the environment has been demonstrated through its promotion of Patagonia outerwear, which is lined with polar fleece made from recycled pop bottles. Its commitment to young athletes is shown each year through its athletic development. The program is designed to establish Sporting Life as the premier retailer at ski clubs, with professionals and athletes.

Adding her personal feelings about the Sporting Life phenomenon, Natalie Gangbar, a customer and agent for a number of leading Canadian fashion designers with Gangbar Winslade Agency said, "The people at Sporting Life care about more than just sales. They are concerned with what's happening in the world and draw people into their stores to involve them in the community at large. You feel it the minute you walk in - Sporting Life is a totally unique experience."

Community
"We live where we work, we work where we live."

The Sporting Life Community is a an incredible group of management, sales associates and customers whose combined passions are remarkable. One of the most incredible customer-driven endeavours seen to date is the 'clothing drive'. According to the agencies and homeless shelters that receive the help, Sporting Life is one of the largest donators in the city. The generosity of our customers is witnessed by Sporting Life employees who empty the overflowing clothing donation buckets several times daily!

Sporting Life's staff commitment to the community it serves is evident in their ongoing education and the extra curricular activities they pursue. They maintain active memberships in sports clubs, volunteer their expertise to a variety of events and organizations, compete at all levels in the world of sports, and continuously re-test themselves for the most current accreditations. They are experts in their fields and generously share their love, time and knowledge with their community.

Sporting Life shares its customers' and its staff's high level of community activism and strives to match that philanthropic spirit by sponsoring activities, providing in-kind donations to school fun fairs, silent auctions and not-for-profit organizations. Currently Sporting Life's outreach includes: sponsorship of SNOWHAWKS Ski & Snowboard School; retail and technical support to the National Ski Team; partnership with Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA); sponsorship of alpine skiing and snowboarding activities; and being the Official Retailer of Ontario Freestyle and the Official Title Retail & Supplier of the K2 Mackenzie Team League.

Whether it's a 24-hour bike ride, North America's fastest 10k or raising funds for charity, Sporting Life is there, event after event cheering you on. So whatever your lifestyle sign up today and get involved. It's a great way to meet people, stay fit and have some fun.

Family Footwear Program
At Sporting Life, we believe that actions speak louder than words; so instead of telling you how much we appreciate your loyalty we'll show you. Our Family Footwear customer loyalty program is one way we show our thanks to you for choosing us as your favourite shoe retailer. You buy 12 pairs of shoes, and we'll give you a thirteenth pair for free. And we promise to keep track of your shoe purchases, so you don't have to worry about missing out on this toe-tickling bonus.

Through our Life Line, we'll know every time you purchase a pair of shoes, for yourself, or anyone in your family. Then we'll send you reminder letters telling you how many shoes you've purchased. Once you've purchased your 12th pair, you'll receive a certificate worth the average price of the twelve shoes purchased. You don't have to buy all 12 pairs at the same time or at the same Sporting Life store, because the Life Line keeps all your purchase information updated no matter which location you visit.

Just drop by any Sporting Life store location, and we'll give you the best selection of men's, women's and children's shoes, superior customer service, and after you purchase your twelfth pair of shoes, we'll give you a free pair.
The Family Footwear Program launched on February 1, 1997. 

Commitment
4 Stores. 600 Stories. Over 600 inspired professionals work at Sporting Life. And we are proud of each one of them. Some of them live and breathe skiing at every moment, and it is this unabashed passion that makes our team the experts on the sport of skiing. The best skis, ski wear, boots, boot-fitting, service, deals and people, we have them all. And that's guaranteed!

For some people skiing is a hobby, for others it's a way of life. For us, it's a passion. Our healthy reputation in the sport is based on our ability to help you enter, race or win the sport. We do this by servicing you with a world-class staff that includes: the Head Coach of the Osler Buff ski Team, skiers with elite coaching experience, ski instructors, tuners for the National Ski Team, the Canadian Women's Alpine Speed Team and Ontario Ski Team Members. We give you the best, because you shouldn't have to settle for anything less.

At Sporting Life our commitment to you is visible in everything we do. From stocking the largest selection of exceptional ski packages, to guaranteeing the highest quality workmanship on shop services we are saying that we are here for you. Whether this is your very first ski season, your 20th, or you're an elite racer, we have skis for you.

Cross-Country
Junior: entry-level, race and performance
Adult: entry-level, carving, race and free ride
 
We carry skis, bindings, poles, boots, accessories, and offer services at our Yonge Street, Sherway Gardens and Collingwood Downtown locations. No matter which of our stores you visit, our professionals will be there to help make all your ski dreams a reality. 

Direct Marketing
Since 1996, our Life Line Direct Marketing program has helped us determine how to best serve you. Quite simply, The Life Line is our database, which keeps track of each and every one of your purchases. We collect this information so that when we have a promotion, a special offer or new product arrival for any type of lifestyle activity you may have shown interest in, we’ll make sure you know about it first.

Once you are signed up for Life Line, we will be able to start communicating with you. Whatever your lifestyle, skiing, golfing, running or if you have an interest in fashion, there is always something happening in our stores that we want you to know about.