Business Description
Trott’s sport excellence is a sporting goods retail store with a hockey and baseball focus, which is located in the heart of Collingwood on Hurontario street. Although this business has been in the Blue Mountain area since 1986, the store has been in its current location for approximately 4 years. Cam picked this new location due to its improved visibility and accessibility, along with its parking amenities. This sporting goods retailer offers a wide variety of services including; customized embroidery on-site for sports teams and others, customized team uniforms on site, skate sharpening/repair, and customized skate fitting.
His Story
Cam has had a strong passion for the sporting industry from a young age. In his personal experience as an athlete, he has had over 20 years of a sporting background participating in competitive football, hockey and baseball. His dedication and skills as an athlete contributed that much more to his passion for the industry and his urge to pursue a career path in this field. Prior to Cam taking ownership of the store, he was living and working in the city while making spontaneous visits to the Blue Mountains area to visit his family. Being surrounded by the community for majority of his life and falling in love with the area, he did not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase the business in 1986. At the time Cam acknowledged the emerging population in Collingwood and saw this customized sporting goods niche as being under-served in the market.
What Customers Love About His Business
Customers have highlighted Cam’s amazing customer service expertise and customized treatment for all of their sporting needs. It is clear to customers that Cam is not only passionate about the sporting industry, but also about helping his customers have the best possible experience while on the playing field. If it is not Cam himself who is helping his customers, then it is one of his highly trained and friendly employees who aim to give their clients the best treatment. The atmosphere within the store is very welcoming and family friendly, which encourages lots of walk ins in addition to his regulars. As Trott’s has been in the community for over 20 years, Cam has had the pleasure of watching many families grow individually and in their sport experience, and he has reiterated that this bond has kept him thriving in the industry for all these years.
Unique Facts About the Business
Firstly, it is quite common for Cam to assist and provide his services to professional athletes. Many previous and current NHL players travel to the Blue Mountains just to receive their services. Secondly, custom embroidery services are provided on site for not only sport related goods but also to industries or corporations that have the desire for a unique embroidery on any product. This is a fairly new operation that Cam has expanded on in the business within the last 3 years. Previously Cam was outsourcing all of their customized uniform needs to a third-party designer, and then decided to invest in an embroidery and printing machine to do it themselves on site. Thirdly, Trott’s prides themselves on being able to offer chain store pricing with family store customer service. Trott’s is a part of a larger group of small independent retailers that have all joined together.
Why Cam Chose Collingwood
As previously mentioned, Cam’s family has been in the Collingwood region since approximately 1862, falling in love with all the amazing things to do in the area while becoming very close knit to the community. Although Cam did not live in the Blue Mountains for a period of time in his adulthood, his heart always belonged to the area and he was not hesitant to move back and purchase the sporting business. Cam particularly loves the small town feel and how effortless it is to make genuine connections and relationships. Some of his favourite pass times while he is not busy working include; relaxing and meditating in his beautiful garden, visiting all the delicious Italian restaurants and cuisine, playing pick-up hockey at the arenas a few times a week and taking the dogs for scenic walks along the Georgian Trail.
Plans For the Future
Although Trott’s has no concrete plans for the future, Cam has mentioned that if the store and their services keeps expanding at the current rate they will need to take action to make additional room in the store through renovation.