MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW GIVE ME 5 WITH MICHAEL HENDRIX

Owner, EAST COAST HOCKEY & SKATING SUPPLY SOURCE FOR SPORTS | Laurel, Maryland

1

Biggest Concerns For 2023

Our biggest concern, and I believe of the entire country, is the economy. Coming out of a tough 2020 with hockey and all activities being limited or not played at all put a strain on the business world. 2021 was good but again limited at different times. The 2022 season started very strong with lots of people coming back to skating, but as we are coming to the end of the year you can see purchasing patterns change. It does not help that prices across the board have risen at higher percentage rates than we have seen in years. Hopefully we will see a slowdown in price increases and a more stable marketplace.

2

Deep Roots In Hockey

My father grew up playing hockey, which eventually landed him at Bowling Green University. From the time my sister and I could walk he had us in skates. We started skating in Indianapolis where the ice rink was an hour from our house. My dad was transferred for work to Columbia, Maryland in 1978 and when we moved the first thing he did was drive us all to the local rink which was 5 minutes from our house. From that point I grew up playing hockey for the local association, Howard County Youth Hockey, now the Howard Huskies. As I moved from youth hockey to beer league, I met Phil Howe, who was the national sales director for Mission Hockey, which was the leader in roller hockey and was trying to get into the ice game. Phil hired me to work for Mission which was a great learning experience. I had been there for around 3 years when I had an opportunity to open my own store at the Garden’s Ice House in Laurel. My father was the managing partner of the 3-sheet rink. They already had two shops that had not made it for different reasons, so in August 2003, I resigned from Mission and opened our first location.

3

Putting Smiles On Faces

What I enjoy the most is getting the first-time hockey player outfitted with equipment. We have a lot of little kids who are just getting started and when they come in to pick up their gear the smile they have on their face is awesome. We also do a ton of fittings with adult players just getting started. They are sometimes more fun to work with than the kids. I also enjoy the opportunity to be part of the local hockey community. Having grown up playing in Maryland and seeing how much the sport has grown over the years is great.

4

BIGGEST BENEFITS OF HDA/NSGA MEMBERSHIP

Having a network of other stores you can talk to about what is going on in their area is a big benefit. Having a group of stores from all over the US gives you an opportunity to see what trends are working in other parts of the country. It also helps when you are looking for something/inventory and you can reach out to other stores.

5 Strong Staff Equals Success

What separates our stores versus the other hockey stores is our staff. The people who work for us are local hockey people who grew up playing in the area. My wife and I also work at our stores every day, so people know us and appreciate the service we provide. We have a hands-on approach with our customers.