Modell's adds local color to N.J. store with team theme - Modell's Sporting Goods

Discount Store News, Sept 18, 1995 by Richard Halverson

NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Pictures of Devils adorn the walls of the new Modell's Sporting Goods store that opened here last month -- that's the New Jersey Devils, of course, winners of this year's top prize in professional hockey, the Stanley Cup.

The distinctive theme motif extends even to a mock scoreboard on the rear wall, with alternating names of key brands in lights, along with the licensees of scores of Devils and their opponents. And the entire rear wall is one gigantic color photograph mural of spectators in the stands of the Byrne Arena, the Meadowlands stadium were the Devils are based.

The Devils theme extends also to merchandise, including Devils-licensed NHL T-shirts on sale for the grand opening at the sharp price of $3.99, against $16.99, everyday. Devils caps also were $3.99 on sale, compared to $9.99.

Other Devils licensed apparel included warmup jackets at $99 and Jerseys at $39.99.

Licensed apparel, displayed on the right side and up the right wall, is a major category for Modell's. About half of the 14,000 sq. ft. of the store is devoted to apparel, primarily men's and boys'.

Shoes account for about 25% of the selling floor and hard lines the remaining 25%.

In apparel, displayed in the center of the store, Modell's stocks a selection of non-athletic men's apparel, including underwear, jeans and long-sleeved sports shirts. Offerings include irregular Wrangler's jeans, two for $20; Jordache jeans, $19.99; Jordache denim jackets, $29.99; FILA jeans, $49.99; Bugle Boy shirts, $19.99; and Fruit of the Loom briefs, 3-pack for $5.99. The new unit, located in the southernmost reaches of the

New York metro market, pushes the store count to 51 for Modell's, a family-owned chain based on Long Island, N.Y., and the second store based on a team theme. North Brunswick is the fourth opening this year, and the chain will open at least one more before yearend.

Earlier this year, Modell's opened a Brooklyn, N.Y, store where its decor paid tribute to the memory of the Brooklyn Dodgers, which moved to Los Angeles decades ago.

Although the store carried a bit of Brooklyn Dodgers stuff, such as replicas of their jerseys and hats, the unit basically paid historical tribute to the Dodgers, said vice president Howard Lippe, who helped monitor crowds at the three-day grand opening hoopla in North Brunswick.

"The Brooklyn store has done very well," Lippe said.

At North Brunswick, giveaways, such as a pair of tickets to a Yankees game to the first 200 customers to walk in the store on the second day of the grand opening, Aug. 25, assured a long line when the store unit opened at 9:30 a.m.

To make the most of the limited size of the store, Modell's sells bulky equipment such as Apex ping pong tables and Marcy's home gyms via special orders from catalogs. The store manages to squeeze in a fair amount of exercise equipment, such as stationary bikes and stair steppers and even a few selections of free-weights weightlifting belts. Modell's displays portable basketball stanchions along the front wall near the entrance and checkouts.

By necessity, hard lines offerings in each category, primarily camping, inline skates and roller hockey, golf, tennis, exercise and ball sports, are limited in their sku count, such as six types of golf clubs.

But Modell's does stock bowling balls and bags. Custom drilling is done at Modell's warehouse. But the unit plans to string tennis rackets in-store as soon as its major supplier, Prince, can train employees.

Modell's doesn't carry bicycles, just accessories.

Inline skates are a major category, however, and the new store creates a skate shop to the left front of the store that features 16 skate models displayed on the front wall.

Shoes also appear to have their own shop, thanks to a dropped ceiling in the rear portion of the store. The shoe department displays shoes on the rear wall by category, rather than by brand, including men's running, fitness, and cross training, as well as various categories for women. The store was doing a brisk business in Riddell men's sneakers, on ad at $10, against $19.99 everyday.

For the rest of the store, high unfinished blue ceilings, along with industrial-type mercury vapor lights lend the illusion that the store is larger.

The racetrack aisles are covered with vinyl tile, but the departments are carpeted.

On the side walls, merchandised to a height of 13 ft., Modell's features names of key vendors. The merchandise from the vendor is displayed under their respective names, such as Columbia, Nike, Reebok, Wilson, Spalding, Majestic and NFL licensed apparel.

Its grand opening circular offered six pairs of athletic shoes at $19.99, including the Nike Decade jogging shoe--$26.99 everyday--and the basic men's low-cut athletic shoe, a special purchase of a discontinued style that is made to sell for $50.