VakarLajos

I've had skates that have made me dry heave and almost vomit. I put them down and stared at them like it was a demon that needed to be destroyed before going back to the task at hand.

These are the nastiest skates I've ever worked on and this is why you need to air your skates out after use! Bleh! The next time I see his brother I am begging him to get his lil bro a new pair of skates for x-mas. if those are the nastiest skates you've ever worked on I envy you.

he actually wasn't bashing the kid at all. Just trying to stick it to the dad. He never saw the kid. It is interesting how he left his elbow pad "at home" yet managed to get through 2 days of a 3 day tournament without it. Quick thinking by the LHS worker.

Or footbeds that are completely the wrong size.

yes, the used Vapor XX with all the decals worn away is ample compensation for a brand new XXXX. lol

I concur. Also noticed it's still "NikeBauer".

I would imagine x60=XXXX x50=XXV x40=XXII

I'm going to guess that it will be an amped up "continuation" of the old Vapor 10s. New numbering makes a lot of sense, as they've used up way too many Roman numerals. How did the old Vapors fit compared to the current ones? XXXX made more sense than XL at the time, but x60 makes more sense tan XXXXX, XXXXXX and LX after a while those Xs started to look like DNA.

CCM Vector BOAs. Not sure about you, but we couldn't give those things away.

On that note - SmartHockey Stickhandling balls? I know every shop seems to have tons, but I don't think I've ever heard of someone actually buying or using one. we sell one or two a week.

For those unfamiliar: http://www.gohocks.com/hockey/index.php we get about one person a month trying to find them. thanks.

we had about 100-150 of the Harpoon tape/sandpaper sets at work. We took them out and just use them for butt ends and blades now when we have to. At least they serve some sort of purpose today.

Sk8W8

If you really like the fit of the XXXXs and they don't have them or can't order them, then there's no reason to buy a skate you don't want to buy to placate to the store. They may be able to order you a pair of XXXXs from Bauer. I'd see about that first. I'd understand if a customer did not buy from us because we were unable to get what they wanted as long as they gave us the chance to get it. That they would continue to shop with us whenever they could does mean a lot though.

I am sorry, but you are wrong. I dont need to sharpen skates to know that. You think it is an art because you have to adjust and adapt....but that is only because you are human. The proper sharpening can be done by a robotic system that will allow for far more variables and work with far smaller tolerances than a human being. People said the same thing you do when automation took over the auto industry. Faster and higher quality. This isnt really up for debate, as it is just a fact that an automated system will just do it better, and more consistently...that is a fact. The issue is that no one can build a robot machine to do this and make it even remotely cost effective. And please refrain from saying it is a stupid assumption. I dont tell you it is a stupid assumption to underestimate the abilities of computer/robotic automation, do I? If you were creating something new, as in music or a painting, or something that is subjective in its quality, then I agree with the art position. But skate sharpening is not the case. It has very specific parameters and variables that can easily be calculated and measured to far tighter tolerances by a computer. That really isnt debatable. It just doesnt make any economic or business sense to do it. Not saying it doesnt require great skill to do it, but it isnt anythng that cant be done by computer robotics. There are things being done by systems like that that are far more complex than skate sharpening. Seriously, it would be a rudinmentary task....just not viable money wise. Nobody has been able to produce a system that is better than a human. I'm sure that it's possible given enough money but you aren't going to see a rink spending a million or more on something to sharpen skates. You would also have to have humans set up and calibrate the machine, making operation of this mythical super-sharpener still dependent on people. The new Blackstone spinner system is going to make it much easier for people to do a great job. That just isnt true and you know it, but if you feel you must post a response like that, it is your perogative. Besides, I think everyone here can see it was purely off-the-cuff conjecture. What the LHS will really be in the years to come isnt smoething I have resarched. No one knows for sure what the LHS will evolve into for sure, and my scenario is not impossible. I can imagine of a sh1tload of scenarios less likely, and I am sure you can too. If you seriously believe that it may come to that there is nothing I can do to help you. Dude, READ my post. I dont seriously think anything on the subject, so no help is needed...sheeesh. Just throwing a scenario out there that was purely conjecture and for the purposes of conversation. Stop taking it so serious (my hypothetical scenario, not the precarious situations currently facing LHS's...that is serious). OK? :) I forget that some people just pull shit out of their ass to post. I don't see anything wrong with proposing a possible scenario. He's not stating he has insider information that companies are perfecting this technology as we speak. I don't agree with the scenario, but who knows, it could be a possible future.

There will be a skate sharpening stand or kiosk that will sharpen skates with far more precision than people. Robots build entire cars, so something like sharpening skates is a breeze. You will be able to insert your skate, tell which variables you want....radius, hollow, rocker...and it will be done perfectly for you every time. You will even be able to have a frequent user card with your preferences on it, preloaded with credits. The precision will be far better than any 16yr old at an LHS could do...and faster. This is actually something that could be done right now. Any investors want to help me with this idea? LOL As far as equipment repair, I may be wrong, but I dont see too much of that in my LHS, but repairing equipment isnt anything that cant be automated. Perhaps it will be like that stick company....insurance for your shin guards, and replacements will be in the shin gurard vending machine next to the skate sharpening kiosk. There are automated sharpening machines and the reviews I've heard have been pretty horrid. How much time do you spend in your LHS? A lot of people don't know what repairs we do because it's all done in the back. People don't want to wait and deal with the warranty for a holder or steel. There will be a lot of aggravation on the part of the players when LHS go under for good. Then they'll reminisce about the good ole' days when there was a shop in every rink.

It's a much more complex thing than just putting things on the net. The site designs are a bit tricker than just putting up a MySpace page or selling on ebay. First, who is going to keep the site updated? Hire a web designer or use somebody already on staff? How do you integrate that to your current stock? Do you set different prices online and in-store? For many small stores there is a lot of additional overhead that they can't afford right now. It's not that LHS owners/workers don't care that customers are having trouble affording gas it's that many of them are having trouble affording it themselves. If somebody is pushing a One95 on somebody they knew was in dire straights then I wouldn't give them my business. If they are refusing to match HockeyMonkey it's another thing. The people at hockey monkey have done nothing to gain that sale in a customer service aspect. What they've done is follow a good business model. One that unfortunately is leading to the decline of the LHS.

LOL. Really? Shouldnt that be one of the major considerations? Price is a valid and important factor wether you like it or not. It may not be a popular concept, but it is very likely that many industries with brick and mortar point of sales will become extinct. I agree. I completely understand shopping based on price, but there's an ethical way to go about that. Nobody needs to be told that money is tight in a lot of families right now so I understand keeping the cost low. A family with 4 kids is in for a rough ride if they all want to play hockey. Imagine if they all want to be goalies! For those people I think don't understand that they are "scamming" us, I try and explain it to them. For those that I know are aware of their actions I don't bother with them anymore. For those who blatantly state in the store, "Oh we'll just by it online", that's just common sense that you're slapping the business across the face. I know Cohen's Opticals writes down any information you have while sizing (lenses, frames, etc) and will not give it out. So unless you have a great memory you have to come back and buy it from them.

These are more the type of customers that I can't stand.

"Are you ready to purchase today?" is a good line when you're 99% sure they're just using your knowledge and time to advise them on an online purchase. "What price point..." etc, still leaves you open to handing out your expertise for free. I spend 45 min with a customer last Sunday and tonight they brought in a pair of the skates he was going to "think about". He wanted them sharpened and baked for free. It's just a constant aggravation.

Great quote from today Mom talking to her son as I'm fitting her daughter for new figure skates "Honey, you're not playing hockey. You know I would do absolutely anything in the world for you, but if you think I'm getting up at 5am on Saturday for a hockey game you are out of your mind!" So you'll do anything in the world....except wake up early?

Definitely excited about this as well. Spinner her I come. LOL. Love the voice over on the videos.

Did you flat out refuse? Or did you suggest?

lol that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe. I had two things yesterday that I thought were worth mentioning (might have been mentioned before on this thread). A woman comes in and picks up skates for her daughter that were stretched and baked. She starts to pay, then walks away before signing the receipt. That in itself is aggravating. She goes to the back of the store with her daughter and toddler. I'm in the middle of something and the other worker is helping another customer at the counter. After a minute or two she calls for somebody to come back and help her. I go back and she says she wants to make sure the stretching is adequate, but her infant is being fussy and she needs help putting the skates on the daughter. I say, "sure, no problem". I lean over to tie the girl's skates. I turn my head to remind the woman to sign the receipt and lo-and-behold, she's breasfeeding. I'm pretty much in shock here as that was the last thing I expected. After about 10 seconds she finished and left. I had to remind her again as she left to sign the receipt. Second, a guy came in and kept asking for different models in different sizes for his mother. They were all women's figure skates so I figured he was buying them for someone who was not there. Then I see his mother trying them on. After the third pair I asked him, "Sir, would you like me to measure her?" No, it's not necessary, just bring me pairs between 7 and 10. I get the second story, but what's the big deal with the first one? A woman forget to sign a receipt and was breastfeeding her baby...what am I missing? No signature = no sale. It was a bit jarring to have her whip her breast out a few inches from my head. In NY most women will cover up especially in public. Personally, I don't really care. But there were many children around whose parents might have been offended. Just not something I needed to be yelled at about.

lol that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe. Technically, this is true, however, we pay the taxes at the time, and file for a return with the IRS yes, but you still pay at the store in the US. I understand the concept, but that doesn't get them out of paying the tax at the counter.