When you’re passionate about something, you can’t let opportunities skate away. Dave Marrone, owner and operator of Front Row Sports Excellence, was well aware of this when he left university in 1991 to open a small 800sq ft. sporting store in Thorold, ON. Dave’s tenacity, enthusiasm, and dedication to his customers epitomize what it means to be 200 Strong.
At a young age, Dave looked around his town and thought to himself: how can I best serve my people? As an avid hockey enthusiast, Dave knew just what players needed, and began offering services such as skate sharpening that, at the time, were uncommon in the area. Soon, Dave’s hard work and curiosity paid off. Front Row has only continued to grow in Ontario- Thorold, Fonthill, Grimsby and St-Catharine’s and in New York- West Seneca and Williamsville, providing its customers with everything from hockey gear to summer sports equipment. They even have in-house team apparel production!
While Front Row started with just Dave, it’s become so much more; it’s a whole team of sports-lovers with the technical expertise to help you find products perfectly suited to your needs. If you’ve ever been to Front Row, you know just how friendly and enthusiastic the team is. They know most of their customers by name and make a point to get to know everyone because sports are, above all, built on a sense of community.
Part of this Front Row community includes a vast number of hockey professionals. The store regularly serves around 100 college and pro hockey players, as well as NHL players like Dougie Hamilton, Taylor Beck, Daniel Girardi, and Nathan Horton. Some players have been coming into the store since they were only 8! Front Row understands how to foster a love of sports while giving players the tools they need to succeed.
Front Row Sports Excellence is dedicated to helping kids discover the wonders of sports by collecting, refurbishing, and donating skating equipment to various children through a program called “Skates for Kids.” Over the years, Front Row has donated thousands of skates and counting. They also regularly contribute to numerous youth programs in their region; they believe that every child should be given the opportunity to learn.
Amidst the current challenges, Front Row Sports Excellence is becoming even more agile and flexible as they adapt to customer’s needs. They’re ready to bring their impeccable customer service to you, wherever you are. They do drop-offs, curbside pick-ups, assisted shopping, online sales. Every option is possible with Front Row. The team is grateful to the hockey community and is going to emerge from this challenge, an even stronger community partner.
Please remember to shop local.
We are 200 Strong.
