GolfTown

[sparsons]

I saw an ad in the weekend paper for jobs at the new Ottawa Golftown store. They don't mention where and when the store will open, but at least it is getting one step closer. Hopefully it will open in the West end.

[fireice]

I'm pretty sure it's opening in the Kanata area from what I've been hearing from this forum and elsewhere.

[golfdoc]

It will be opening March 1st, in Kanata, in the big shopping plaza. It should be interesting to see the competition now...

[jeffc]

It will be opening March 1st, in Kanata, in the big shopping plaza. It should be interesting to see the competition now...

I'm not overly familiar with kanata...

[mr shank]

It should be interesting to see the competition now...

I agree.
I like Chuck Brown's, but I think they've been riding their good reputation for years & don't do a great job merchandising their stores.
I'm sure Golftown will keep them on their toes now.

[NoBack]

I think it's the one off of Terry Fox & Earl Grey.

[natgolfer]

I think it's the one off of Terry Fox & Earl Grey.

If you know the location of the AMC Theatres in the Kanata Centrum, Golf Town will be opposite them, just around the corner from the Baton Rouge restaurant. The store front faces south-east.

Only Michelle Wie fans need apply.

[NoBack]

natgolfer
Let me know when she'll be there (during recess im sure) so I can be first in line for her autograph. Will put it right up there with Jack's and Farzin's.

[Rough Stuff]

I don't think Chucke Browne's has too much to worry about if its in Kanata...

[natgolfer]

I don't think Chucke Browne's has too much to worry about if its in Kanata...

Insiders at CB's indicate that Golf Town could put a serious dent in the income of the Bell's Corners store.

Time will tell.

[powerlefty]

I live in Kanata. I have been to a Golftown in Vancouver. I frequent the Chuck Brown's in Bells Corners.


If the Golftown store in Kanata is anything like the one in Vancouver (probably a certainty since they operate on a specified formula for store size, etc) I predict they will destroy the Chuck Brown's in Bells Corners. You can also add to the expected list of casualties the other golf store in Bells Corners (Bob's) and the golf discount store on Merivale Road. The catchment area for the Kanata Golftown as a minimum will be all of Nepean, Kanata and areas west of Kanata.

The store will be to big and carry far to great a selection for the others to compete.

[LobWedge]

I live in Kanata. I have been to a Golftown in Vancouver. I frequent the Chuck Brown's in Bells Corners.


If the Golftown store in Kanata is anything like the one in Vancouver (probably a certainty since they operate on a specified formula for store size, etc) I predict they will destroy the Chuck Brown's in Bells Corners. You can also add to the expected list of casualties the other golf store in Bells Corners (Bob's) and the golf discount store on Merivale Road. The catchment area for the Kanata Golftown as a minimum will be all of Nepean, Kanata and areas west of Kanata.

The store will be to big and carry far to great a selection for the others to compete.

Agreed. The store in Toronto carries more putters than Chuck Brown's has clubs. Every time I go in to a Golf Town I have to make sure I'm wearing a lobster bib so I don't drool all over myself. (of course that could be the lobotomy)

It's going to boil down to a question of whether consumers will continue to support local businesses or not. Time (and sale prices) will tell.

[LongHitta]

I don't think it will have much of an affect on the chuck browns in Bells Corners, they never had a lot of business to begin with. I'll still visit them becuase its the closest store for me, and most people in the southwest end will too.

[golfdoc]

Golf Town prides itsef on selection and service. They do not however focus on having the best prices. Chuck Browns and Pro Golf will have to ensure they have lower prices.

[4jag]

Golftown stores are great but the ones I've been to don't take trades and don't sell used clubs. Chuck's & Pro Golf will have this advantage going for them.

That said, I'll be first in line for the grand openning!

[sensfan63]

I concur about Golftown most likely taking business away from the Bells Corners CBs...however, maybe if the stores in Ottawa had customers that actually BOUGHT merchandise instead of wasting the staff's time with useless questions about Northwestern double-sided chippers and the ever-popular Plus-10 driver (just buy a freaking Taylor-Made already !!!), we wouldn't be having this discussion about how one franchise golf store may end up closing a good, local business.
Signed,

Former CB employee

[fireice]

You seem to be a bit bitter sensfan.
I think the majority of people try not to waste sales staffs' time and I believe the majority buy if not the first time they see an item but at least the next time, golfers like to research and test and always like a deal.
Go Sens Go
Sens4 Pens 0. Lalime w/ shutout my prediction don't use for proline purposes of course.

[Rough Stuff]

thats a wrong assessment sensfan. I dont consider CB a "local" business, not with branches in Montreal. And I go there for convenience, and USUALLY the service is good.

Golftown in Kanata: power to 'em...Somerset will do fine...

[BullDog]

CH *is* a local business. While Chuck has long left the company, his late ex-wife Jill Brown ran the company until she became a victim of leukemia. For years after that The Brown children ran the Somerset and Bells Corners stores. I know that Jill routinely went to Montreal to work in those stores way back when but I don't know what is going on with them nowadays. As far as I know, both Ottawa stores still have Brown links.

The Brown family were family friends... while I've been out of the look for about 18 months, I haven't heard that the group of stores has changed hands. If it hasn't, then there's nothing more 'local' than these stores.

Mike

thats a wrong assessment sensfan. I dont consider CB a "local" business, not with branches in Montreal. And I go there for convenience, and USUALLY the service is good.

Golftown in Kanata: power to 'em...Somerset will do fine...

[Rough Stuff]

My apologies Mike, didn't mean to offend. It does sound like a local business. To me local implies a ground-roots, family store, that depends mostly on its strong community roots, regular customers and good business practices, with ONE location in ONE city.

To me, Chuck Browns, with branches in Montreal, is one step up from my definition of a local business. It does NOT depend on a very small customer base. In comparison, 2 book stores in the market went under when Chapters opened up. Golf Town, being in Kanata, does not threaten the Somerset location. I for one will go to CBs before Golf town, just as I also go to local bookstores over chapters, and always will.

No offense was intended to the Brown family or business owners. It was meant as a response to Sensfans bitter statement and generalization of golf customers and stores. Having my own business, I can say I'd be infinitely more stable with branches in other cities, and depend solely on a strong regular customer base.

Here's a better response: don't like people and stupid questions? Don't go into sales. Don't like franchises? Don't shop in them...its the best support for a business you do like. I am offended by the notion that I am "wasting" a salesperson's time by asking any kind of question. I have given plenty of business to CB (read as: spent thousands of dollars) and in return they have provided me with good products. Sensfan did some damage to that relationship by implying that my time was useless.

Careful what you say as a past OR present representative. I would not want my employees, present or past, saying anything like what SENSFAN said to my customer base, whether it had good intentions or not.

[BullDog]

No offence taken at all.

I agree with you on the subject of being in sales. There are some people that are not cracked up to being in that field, yet they stay and in the end likely drive people away. They will complain no matter what, though, so even a 'back room' job won't do for them.

As for big store killing small store, I think that the fear has been greatly exaggerated in the past. Sure, a couple places closed when Chapters came in, but so did a few restaurants and bars when the smoking bylaw came into effect - don't mean to open a can of works - but those that closed likely were on the brink in the first place and would have closed anyway.

It seems like niche market stores keep thriving - the little Loeb on Wellington is still doing well in spite of the Loblaws-asaurus up the road... I happen to prefer the smaller store than the mega one.

It's a phenomenon that won't go away as more people demand those huge stores - all I want to know is when those megastores close 10 years down the road, who will lease them? "Back to basics" will be upon us soon enough.

In the meantime, back to Chuck's - someone mentioned that GolfTown isn't a discounter - if CB offers good service and looks at its pricing scheme, it likely can make sure it lives on forever.

Happy Monday!
Mike

[golferwilliam]

I saw an ad in the weekend paper for jobs at the new Ottawa Golftown store. They don't mention where and when the store will open, but at least it is getting one step closer. Hopefully it will open in the West end.

Kanata on Kanata Drive if you know where that is.
Mate maybee open by April.

[sensfan63]

No offense was intended to the Brown family or business owners. It was meant as a response to Sensfans bitter statement and generalization of golf customers and stores. Having my own business, I can say I'd be infinitely more stable with branches in other cities, and depend solely on a strong regular customer base.

I must rise in my own defence...

Generalization of golf customers? Yes, I suppose I did do that. However, it pains me to hear certain people call themselves "regulars" at CBs when I know full well that they are full-time browsers. Happens more than you know.

You, Rough Stuff, are obviously a good customer and hopefully have been impressed by the service at CBs. Having worked there for a couple of years, I think that golf retail is an interesting challenge. Although the service has gone down in the last few years, it's pretty much the best you'll get at any golf store north of the border.

CBs is the epitome of a local business. It's been owned by the same family, the Browns, since the beginning. I don't think that branching out to Montreal can be considered a move toward a "franchise." The family owns the Montreal stores. Can't blame them for wanting to expand their business.

By the way, I'm not bitter. And it's not like I was fired or anything like that. Sometimes the truth resonates negatively, and people don't want to hear it or believe it. Doesn't mean it's not the truth.

[larry]

Speaking of Chuck Brown's, does anyone know when their spring sale starts?

[Colby]

Speaking of Chuck Brown's, does anyone know when their spring sale starts?

I heard Feb 8th.

[jeffc]

I heard Feb 8th.

usually the first saturday in Feb.

[el tigre]

I heard Feb 8th.

Actually, it runs from Feb 7 - 22. Perhaps Colby was just trying to make sure he gets to be first in line.

[Colby]

Actually, it runs from Feb 7 - 22. Perhaps Colby was just trying to make sure he gets to be first in line.

Not unless they open up at about 3 in the morning. I'm headed to Myrtle on the 7th.

[Andru]

Golftown will whoop do very well. I'm sure CB's will have problems. If you're going to spend 500 dollars on a driver. Wouldn't you drive 20 min extra to pick from a selection of 400 vs. 90?? As far as price.

I've never seen CB's for less and if you do, they'll match the price. There's a big retailer in Toronto called Dimarco and I've had golftown reduce the price on a cleveland 588 by 10 bucks to match.

The store at the Kennedy Commons I believe is taking clubs for trade as well. They could be moving in that direction.

Somerset, Bells Corners. CB's will have to consolidate the stores and compete or parish there's NO contest. I read it earlier. They have more putters than CB has clubs. Think about that. Where would you go to shop? I'd like to see you go to CB's and try a Titleist 983k with 12 different shaft and loft combinations.

Cheers



Cheers

[faldo]

I'm looking forward to the opening. I saw my first G-Town in Calgary over Christmas & was very impressed. They had a putting area with 10 different holes. It was about as big as the lower level of the main CB store.
I really liked the fact they had about 40/50 golf prints available (some framed).

Ciao,