Kendal Sports to close down after decades in business
Kendal Sports, located at 28-30 Stramongate, will soon close its doors to customers after 70 years in business.
Its current owner, Andrew Atkinson, 68, took over from his father, who bought the shop in the early 1970s, but had worked in it from its opening in 1956.
He told The Westmorland Gazette, shortly after hanging the ‘closing down sale’ signs in the shop front windows,: “It is time to retire.
“I am nearly 70, and I do not really want to be working then.
He continued: “I am looking forward to going walking, climbing, canoeing, and getting some holidays in – that’s the plan – it is just time for me to finish.”
Kendal Sports is run by Andrew and a small but caring team of four or five members of staff.
It sells clothing, footwear and equipment for sports such as football, rugby, cricket and hockey, as well trading in outdoor apparel.
Andrew Atkinson (L) with Chris Tidmarsh, staff member (R), outside the shop front (Image: Tom Cockburn)
Since he began working and eventually owning the shop, Andrew has seen wholesale change in the world of sporting retail.
It took months, even years, for a sporting craze from a major city to reach Kendal in his early days at the shop.
It now only takes days for such ‘fads’ to reach sportspeople in the town, thanks to modern communications, meaning the shop must keep up with competition, Andrew said.
Asked about what his message would be to all the customers that have been into Kendal Sports over the years, Andrew said: “We have great customers – all the staff and customers are great fun.
“Overall, it [Kendal] is a nice place to be, and it [the sports shop] is a nice trade to be in.
“All the customers over the years have kept my staff and me in jobs, which is good, and we are thankful for that.”
Kendal Sports has now begun a closing down clearance sale, where all stock must go.
There is currently no official final trading date for the shop set by Andrew and his team.
