LHS In Buffalo?

[adam14 182]

I'm going to niagra falls in a couple weeks and my dad said that we may go into Buffalo, I asked if we could get some Hockey gear while we were there, he said as long as there is a store near by. Apparently we wont be going into buffalo itself, but going to the shopping centers near the boarder.

Is there anything there?

[cbj05 0]

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...showtopic=31065

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...showtopic=35963

These topics should have what you are looking for.

[Chadd 916]

Cupolo's is on the Canadian side of the Falls and used to have some strange stuff from time to time.

[lefty57 0]

Try this place in Thorold

http://www.frontrowsport.com/

[RadioGaGa 162]

Drop LkptTiger a PM. His shop is in (or near) Buffalo.

[bbruins8 0]

LkptTiger works in the Pepsi Center's pro shop...google the pepsi center in Amherst, NY. Great Skate is also a good spot to buy stuff from, but they aren't what we would refer to as a "LHS" in the sense that they don't do any custom work or repairs etc. The only thing that is LHS-like about them is that they sharpen and bake skates.

[Monty22 835]

Cupolo's is on the Canadian side of the Falls and used to have some strange stuff from time to time.

I picked up a few pairs of pro stock skates there a few years ago when they were selling on Ebay. Was in the area 2 years ago and stpped by, it was dissapointing. Not sure what it's like currently.

[LkptTiger 1]

Cupolo's went under (again). Pretty crappy shop, but I was still a bit bummed when they finally packed it in for good - it was the last place I could really find a good stock of Inno twigs, and would work with me when I ordered stuff in through my team. Last I heard before they dropped-out was that they were just doing downhill sports and lacrosse. Maybe I'll go out to Clifton Hill with a few of my buddies one of these nights...we might have to take a quick detour so I can check it out and see if anything is going on in there.

Our shop in the Pepsi Center (Amherst - if you're in The Falls, you're going to take the 190 South down over Grand Island and hop on the 290 East all the way to Millersport. It's about a 40-45 minute trip) is actually owned by the same guy who runs the FRS in Thorold, Ontario (linked a few posts back). Dave is a good guy.

In all honesty, our Canadian store (the aforementioned one in Thorold) is going to be the better trip than the one I work in. We're just a relatively small pro-shop in a hockey rink - we do a lot of work on equipment (sharpen/rivet/bake/punch skates, cut sticks, rig goal pads, etc.), but our selection is pretty limited. The Thorold store (which is really not going to be much farther a drive than our shop) is absolutely amazing - the place is at least 4-5 times the size of Great Skate, and they have just about everything you could possibly want (except shafts...they don't have a lot of shafts). Christ, their stick room is the size of our pro-shop. Their staff is very knowledgeable and reputable, and does a great job of putting you in the equipment that is going to work for you best. They've got a Rapid Shot machine (and a wall of demo sticks) tucked behind the stick room, and a skating treadmill thrown way back (where I did a lot of work when I was first getting back on the ice after I blew my knee out).

Great Skate is only any good if you know EXACTLY what you're looking for when you go in there. The staff is largely incompetent and completely clueless (well...there are a few people there who are OK, but, for the most part, you're dealing with people who don't know what they're talking about). I was in Great Skate a couple weeks ago and overheard an employee trying to tell a customer (and his mother) that the NBH 4500 is one of the widest helmets on the market...while pounding the thing down on his head - I waited until said employee walked away and offered to help fit the customer properly. We get a LOT of people coming into our store complaining about them - and we see a lot of the hack-jobs they do on peoples' skates (they use one of those "radial arm" type machines, which in itself is awful...and I've heard stories from people who have worked there in the past who tell me they'll throw people on that thing within the first few days they're employed). Burns, missed edges and WAY off level. Unless you bought your skates from them, they won't sell you replacement steel, they won't do rivets...but they WILL sell you new holders - but refuse to put them on for you. They do a shit job of fitting people properly, and charge fifty fucking bucks to bake a new pair of skates (if purchased elsewhere, obviously). I mean, I understand the charge, but the price is a bit ridiculous (we charge $10).

I actually heard that one of the guys who used to work at Great Skate got fired for advising people against getting their skates sharpened there and actually suggested they bring them to us. I'm not sure how true it is, but I've heard it from a number of different people.

***edit*** I almost forgot - my buddy's girlfriend just got a job at Great Skate, and, according to a text message she sent me, I am supposed to add a disclaimer "...but I know one person there who is awesome."

[adam14 182]

wow guys, thanks for all the info. i'll definately check out the shop on the canadian side, as long as the prices are fair, which was the main reason for my looking for a shop in buffalo. im basically looking for new upper body equipment, no helmet, and shins and possibly shafts, as im still debating doing 2 piece or one piece this year...

once again thanks very much for the help boys :)

[blueandgold 0]

NEVER get your skates done at greatskate. Im an equip manager for Vermont and I do my dad's skates whenever he visits me up there. He got them done at greatskate before he came up once and i threw a square on them just for fun and they were so far off it was unbelievable.

I also heard one of their employees tell a mom that one stick was more expensive/better than another because it "contained more composites" Wow. I diddnt see what sticks he was talking about but the kid walked out with a sickick

[WSWings 0]

Great Skate is a good store for equipment, but as said previously, the staff is no help at all. Early this year I went in with my Dad looking for a pair of Grafs and when we asked where we could purchase any Grafs anywhere else they wouldn't tell us. We went to Front Row Sports at the Pepsi Center and it's a Graf Bonanza in there. I suggest Great Skate if you do know what you're looking for.

[Cobra2717 0]

I actually heard that one of the guys who used to work at Great Skate got fired for advising people against getting their skates sharpened there and actually suggested they bring them to us. I'm not sure how true it is, but I've heard it from a number of different people.

LOLOLOLOL I know who that was.......

But i second everthing said. Dead on. Tho everytime i walk into Pepsi Naab is in there...but its been a few months.

One of these days ill catch you in there.

[LkptTiger 1]

Hahaha. Yeah, I think if we kept track, we'd probably find that we really do lose a handful of customers any given shift when Gene is in the shop. He usually ends up spending a significant amount of time standing out in the lobby trying to flirt with all the figure skaters while they're taking their skates off...and I feel bad for them.

He's working for his dad over the summer, so he's not in the shop nearly as much anymore. The figure skaters get a reprieve. He still comes out when we get ice, though, and usually makes a tool of himself in the process.

Any guy who gets offered a trade from the league's last place team to its first place team...AND TURNS IT DOWN...has some undeniable issues. And yet he denies them.

I gotta give him credit, though: the kid came out with a good one a couple weeks ago while the Junior Sabres were running tendy try-outs. Mr. Ledyard came into the shop and said they had 50+ tendies coming-out. I waited until he left, looked around the shop and said "Ugh, why are there fifty goalies that want to play for Buffalo?"

Gene just started laughing and said "So three of 'em don't have to play for Wheatfield."

*sigh* Junior hockey sucks here...and it's only getting worse.

[duch 0]

Another vote for Great Skate but as already stated you need to go in and know what you want. The staff isn't the most knowledgeable in the hockey store world to put it mildly. And oh yes, check the price of what your getting on line first. My wife went in to get me a pair of elbow pads I was looking at and they wanted to charge her more than they where advertised on the web. Luckily I had clued her in to the on line price before she left on her shopping trip so when she mentioned it to the cashier she was promply given the on line price without any hassle. Can't complain about the prices there they're very competative.

[Cobra2717 0]

Hahaha. Yeah, I think if we kept track, we'd probably find that we really do lose a handful of customers any given shift when Gene is in the shop. He usually ends up spending a significant amount of time standing out in the lobby trying to flirt with all the figure skaters while they're taking their skates off...and I feel bad for them.

He's working for his dad over the summer, so he's not in the shop nearly as much anymore. The figure skaters get a reprieve. He still comes out when we get ice, though, and usually makes a tool of himself in the process.

Any guy who gets offered a trade from the league's last place team to its first place team...AND TURNS IT DOWN...has some undeniable issues. And yet he denies them.

I gotta give him credit, though: the kid came out with a good one a couple weeks ago while the Junior Sabres were running tendy try-outs. Mr. Ledyard came into the shop and said they had 50+ tendies coming-out. I waited until he left, looked around the shop and said "Ugh, why are there fifty goalies that want to play for Buffalo?"

Gene just started laughing and said "So three of 'em don't have to play for Wheatfield."

*sigh* Junior hockey sucks here...and it's only getting worse.

lol...back when i played midget AAA, whenever we were playing a bad game our coach would be ranting and raving "Your playing pussy Gene Naab hockey!" So funny.

But yeah, the state of hockey around here is abysmal. Not just juniors...everything. It really seems the talent in this area has thinned greatly since our glory days.