Today we’d like to introduce you to Jayme Cornwell.
Hi Jayme, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Play It Again Sports Baltimore has been open since 1998. I started at this location when I was 16 years old. I worked there for 12 years and then bought the business from the previous owner in 2018.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been anything but a smooth road. I bought the business in 2018 and took the next year to clear out some of the older inventory and remodel the store a bit. 2019 showed real promise and that is when it really felt like I was starting to build something of my own. What I wanted the store to be. 2020 COVID hit and I almost lost everything. Coincidentally it was the same year my wife and I were bringing our first daughter into this world. So I thought a gloabel pandemic that was completely out of my control was going to ruin everything for our family. During that time no team sports were operating at all and the business was suffering tremendously. My general manager suggested that we started carrying fitness equipment heavily becasue he was noticing the limitations being put on gyms in the area. I trusted his gut and we bought a tremendous amount of inventory from my fitness vendors. When the government shut my store down, I was not even allowed curbside pickup. So every day I loaded my pickup truck and drove hours around the beltway hand delivering fitness equipment to new and loyal customers for free. My manager stayed in the store by himself taking orders online and over the phone. We did that for months to make ends meet. It really helped us keep afloat. 2021 hit and our business revenue doubled from any of our previous record years. It was difficult to keep up, but an incredible turnaround and achievement. A good problem to have, but still a challenge. The business has stayed at that level ever since. It has been a tremendous blessing and has allowed me to do things for my employees that were not offered to me prior under the previous owner. I now offer health insurance and a retirement match for my full time employees. It is something I am really proud of.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sportszar Corporation dba Play It Again Sports Baltimore?
We sell new and used sports equipment to families and customers. We sell brand new equipment from the manufacturer just like you see everywhere else, as well as used equipment we acquire from customers. People can sell us items for cash or store credit towards other items in the store. We help people save money. For example, at my location, we offer a free cleat exchange. You can bring in a usable/sellable pair of cleats that you own and swap them for free for any of our used cleats in the store. If we do not have another used pair that you are looking for, or if you want a brand new pair, you can sell us your used pair to get a store credit towards a brand new pair. It is one of the ways we help families in sports save money and it brings people into the store to see what else it is that we can offer them. At my location, we specialize in football and baseball/softball sales. We sell multiple sports and carry a wide range of sporting goods, but those are our two specialties. I feel like what sets us apart from others is our customer service. We greet every single person that walks through the door and try to help them start t0 finish (if they allow us) for whatever they need. What makes me most proud brand wise is how much we can help and give back to the community. We sponsor countless rec teams and donate goods to non profits and charities all the time. I want your readers to know that we are a family run small business that is here for the community and all of their needs. I heard a quote once. It really stuck to me. “Shop local, because Amazon won’t sponsor your kids little league team”. That really hit home with me. We sponsor local recs and organizations, sponsor teams, donate products, etc. So if you want to buy your child an item online, maybe try a small local store first. It really goes a long way and helps us do things such as that.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Treat the people in your life respectfully and correctly, and they will reward you for it. My family, my employees, my customers. They all mean something to me. My wife is amazing and helps me every day be a small business owner and a family man. I could not do what I do without her. My employees work their tails off for me every day. My customers are loyal and constantly helping promote my business to their friends and families. I cannot thank each and every one of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://playitagainsports.com/locations/baltimore-md/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playitagainsports_baltimore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlayItAgainSportsBaltimoreMD
