Fantastic store in Connecticut, it has everything a customer could ask for: lovely, passionate, and incredibly knowledgeable people (particularly Chuck, the manager), an extensive selection of products for any kind of player - including the sometimes hard-to-find goalie gear), honest prices, and any kind of customer service you can dream of.
In a time of distant, predominantly on-line shopping options, "Hamden Sport Center" stands out because it is so warm and full of passion: the people working in there really care about hockey, love helping customers, and take pride in their work. And that makes a world of difference. We went in to look for a pair of skates for me (I was looking for a good pair of skates for not-too-intensive use, mostly skating around at the Wesleyan rink and occasionally playing non-league games outdoors) and we had the luck of meeting Chuck. He helped us throughout the whole process, from selecting a pair of skates that fir my kind of foot, to helping with the right brand and price range, to offering heat molding, sharpening, and guards - all included. Also, we had a nice chat about the current NHL season, other gear in the shop, and local teams. My partner, a true Canadian from the hockey-loving Winnipeg, said that Chuck is one of the most knowledgeable people (about hockey) he's met outside of Winnipeg.
Our trip to to Hamden Sport Center was so pleasant that I am sure we will be back soon. They offer a loyalty program for sharpening, and they have en extensive selection of new and used gear of all kinds. Finally, it was very nice to see a lot of kids and parents in the store, browsing products and discussing what to buy - that's what hockey should be all about, family and friends.
So this store is absolutely recommended, I believe it would be hard to find any better in the area.
A couple of good things to know:
- getting there: the store is not easily visible from the main road (particularly after the sun goes down, we had to drive around a bit). Look for the sign (which should be lit), and the follow the road - the store is to the left.
- ambiance: warm, cozy, not pretentious
- staff: fantastic - nice, kind, passionate, knowledgeable, eager to help
- prices: incredibly honest (the staff will even discourage you from spending too much if you're not sure)
- overall feeling: a truly unique and precious store, which exudes an old-timey, reassuring feeling. Recommended! read more