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RETAIL 2021 STARS 1 CUSTOMER SERVICE Courting Success Leading tennis specialty stores are hitting winners by focusing on customer service and local markets. By Judy Leand What a year we’ve had, with Covid-19 turning business—and everything else— With good news on the tennis participation front, retailers across upside down. For retailers, an assortment of problems continue—increased the country are moving product internet shopping, supply-chain issues, direct competition from key vendors, just and servicing more players—and watching the sport, and their to name a few. But there is a silver lining: Tennis participation is on the upswing, profits, grow. which is good news for the entire industry. The tennis specialty shops featured here are flourishing despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic environment, thanks to a laser-like focus on customer service and a willingness to go the extra mile to meet the needs of their local tennis communities. 26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2021 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com People flocked to us over the summer and we grew the sport. We reach out to high schools, we offer free clinics and we donate shoes, racquets and equipment. Community outreach is very important in building loyalty and trust. 2 2 Bunny’s First Serve Pro Shop Des Moines, Iowa Bunny Bruning opened her stand- alone pro shop in 1988, located at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, where she serves as the tennis director. She is also a USPTA Master Pro and has been on the Missouri Valley USPTA board for more than 15 years. The shop’s clientele is primarily comprised of club members who span all age groups, from toddlers to seniors, but players in the community also come in for racquets and shoes—the two core categories that account for the bulk of Bruning’s sales. “Right now, Head racquets are selling well, and Head and especially K-Swiss shoes are re- ally popular,” she notes. “Our biggest competition is online, but the internet lacks customer service and there’s also the danger of receiving counterfeit product,” she says, adding that her pro shop doesn’t sell online. At the start of the pandemic last 1 boom recently. “Customers are getting year, business was understandably back into the game and newcomers slow, but that proved to be temporary. Swetka’s Tennis Shop Mountain View, Calif. are trying it out,” Swetka says. “This year, everything’s going gang- Stringing and adult racquet sales are busters,” Bruning reports. “We had a a big part of the business, and footwear crazy good season last year and now At Swetka’s Tennis Shop, customer is also a key category. He reports that we’re trying to stay one step ahead.” service is king. Owner John Swetka’s the Wilson Clash, Babolat Pure Drive But sales are only part of what parents opened the business in 1969, and the Head racquet line are all sell- makes Bunny’s First Serve Pro Shop and the store is proud to have many ing well. The store doesn’t do online successful. A devotion to the local ten- longtime employees. sales, instead focusing on customers nis community is an integral part of “We have a great, experienced face to face. The main challenge is get- the business. staff, including stringers who really ting enough goods to sell. “There are “People flocked to us over the sum- know what they’re doing, and a great, still supply issues,” Swetka says. mer and we grew the sport. We found dependable store manager. All of this Going forward, his strategy is “to niches to add programming,” she says. fosters outstanding customer rela- keep doing what we’re doing. We try “We reach out to high schools, we tionships,” he says. The shop offers to have relationships with teaching offer free clinics and we donate shoes, one-day stringing and also runs a suc- pros in the area, and to be dependable. racquets and equipment. We help high cessful demo program. “It also helps There’s potential to grow and prosper.” school coaches, and they in turn reach that we’re in an area with good clubs, He adds, “We’re known in the area out to the community.” public facilities and instructors, so lots by people who play, and we have a lot Bruning also runs three Park & of tennis is being played.” of faithful customers who have a lot Rec programs, all of which now have During the height of the pandemic, to do with our success. But lots of new waiting lists. “Community outreach is the store had to close for a couple of people are coming into the area, so we very important in building loyalty and PHOTOS COURTESY SWETKA'S TENNIS SHOP, BUNNY'S FIRST SERVE PRO SHOP BUNNY'S FIRST SERVE TENNIS SHOP, SWETKA'S PHOTOS COURTESY months. But the business has seen a now need to get the word out.” trust,” she says. www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2021 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27 ADVERTISEMENT “Clay courts offer a multitude of benefits — RETAIL from a physical perspective to improving STARS 2021 playability, and to the simple aesthetics of a beautiful looking court” — MOLLY HARDIE, KESWICK HALL 3 4 ers to keep up with the business—it’s The Tennis Set Michael Lynne’s nothing for us to string 100 racquets Overland Park, Kan. a day in the summer.” Lynne reveals Tennis Shop St. Louis Park, Minn. that the shop strung 13,000 racquets in 2020, with eight machines going SPORTS SURFACES As the real estate adage goes, it’s all full blast, full time. about location, location, location. The Founded by the husband-wife team Lynne notes that tennis and “Combining the luxury and Tennis Set, founded in 1977, is in the of Michael and Mimzy Lynne in 1990, pickleball are both growing, and he is Underground Evolution beauty of red clay with the heart of the area’s many clubs and this 5,500-square-foot store boasts a considering expanding the pickleball responsible innovation of public courts, with all tennis facilities huge selection of tennis and pickleball area. “Pickleball will get bigger, and we Beautiful courts built from the ground up HyQ sub-irrigation enables within a 10-minute radius of the store. products and draws customers from co-sponsor a number of tournaments, us to offer one of the most “We recognize 80 percent of the cus- all around the region. some of which draw 480 players. We desirable and exclusive tennis tomers who walk in the door, and they “We service all ages, from toddlers have a big display of shoes that bring in ave you ever and its control center irrigates automatically and facilities in the country,” rely on our expertise and knowledge. to players in their 90s,” says Michael a lot of pickleball customers as well as looked at is completely digital. uses approximately 40% said Robert Hardie. “We are Consistency is key,” says Matt Rodney, Lynne. “We have big adult and junior platform tennis players,” he says. “The president of The Tennis Set. racquet areas, and our pickleball wall challenge now is getting inventory.” a perfectly Appealing to the next less water. so excited to make these “Last spring through the summer, is nearly 42 feet long—we can’t keep To help solve that problem, the groomed court generation of tennis court amazing courts available to tennis participation ticked up, and paddles in stock.” In the winter, the business warehouses a large amount Hand wondered how it stays maintenance personnel, For Molly and Robert Hardie, our club members and future our business has been doing well. We store also does a lot with platform of equipment. At present, Babolat, so pristine? Often the answer HyQ features fine-tuned owners of Keswick Hall, a guests alike.” like to be a hands-on, family business. tennis, thanks to the large number of Yonex, Wilson and Volkl racquets are is buried beneath your feet. controls on a digital touch storied and beloved hotel Customers come to us for direction on clubs in the area that offer the sport. selling well, as are pickleball paddles. pad that makes responsive property in Charlottesville, With a HyQ Court, it’s easy what they actually need. You just can’t “Right now, business is fabulous,” Although the store has a website, its In the late 80’s and early adjustments to within a Virginia, the system was to see and understand the get the same service online.” The store he says. “People are playing sports purpose is for information, not sales. 90’s, clay court tennis 10th of an inch. perfect for the complex’s entire sub-surface irrigation has a web page, but no shopping cart. outdoors now. Our big season started But of course, everything always underwent a revolution newly renovated tennis process at a glance, and Sales of racquets, shoes and ap- in early March, nearly a month and comes back to serving the customer. with the introduction of The HyQ Court’s intelligent facility. “Clay courts offer a quickly act to adjust water parel are fairly evenly distributed, and a half earlier than last year. But even “We’re known for our excellent sub-surface irrigation. The design optimizes the multitude of benefits — from levels to the perfect level stringing—along with re-gripping and with Covid, last year was good for us. service,” says Lynne. “Once you spoil racquet customization—is a huge part I think this summer will be dynamite! customers with great service, there are self-regulating systems amount of water on a court a physical perspective to every time.

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