With 67 years in business, 20 of them in Saint Clair Shores, Harper Sport Shop has a reputation for excellence and a loyal customer base. That wasn’t enough to overcome the challenges it faces. Last week the Seppala family announced they would close its doors permanently on July 31.
A close-out sale is now in progress.
In 1947 the Harper Sport Shop was opened in Detroit by Leslie ‘Les’ Seppala, a returning World War II veteran and former prisoner of war, with his wife Katherine ‘Kay’ Seppala.
‘He worked as a teacher for special needs, mostly handicapped students who couldn’t go to school,’ said Mark Seppala, one of Les’ grandsons.
To supplement his income, Les opened Harper Sport Shop in Detroit. He had played hockey and boxed for Wayne State University before the war, which helped fuel his accumen for his new business.
‘He knew sporting goods,’ said Mark.
Kay operated the store during the day until Les got back from work.
Harper Sport Shop sells equipment and uniforms for baseball, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, bowling, darts, hunting, fishing and camping, and has sponsored thousands of teams and individuals throughout the Detroit area. Les was even inducted into the Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
Les and Kay’s son, Bill, joined the company in 1971 after his own military stint in Vietnam. Bill grew the business by adding brand names to the store’s stock. In 1994, Harper Sport Shop moved to its current address at Greater Mack Avenue and Nine Mile Road in St. Clair Shores because the building had more space, a second floor and parking in the rear.
Kay passed away in 2002, followed by Les in 2005 and Bill in 2008. Bill’s sons, Mark and Michael, along with Mary Beth, their mother, are the shop’s current owners.
Mark says 2007 ‘was our biggest year financially.’
Unfortunately, as the economy turned down so did the store’s business.
‘Each year since then there’s been a decline in our overall numbers,’ Mark said. ‘Our margins have been getting smaller while our operating costs have been going up.’
One of the problems is that while providing uniforms for schools and little leagues has been a big part of the business, now ‘schools don’t have the money.’ And competition kept growing from ‘internet and big-box stores.’
The decision to close was difficult.
‘It would have been nice to keep it going,’ Mark says, ‘but this is something we’ve got to do.’
Last Saturday the stop was full of customers looking for a good deal or a last memory of a shop that many had patronized since before it moved to its present location.
Jeff Adams of Grosse Pointe Woods says he’s been coming to Harper Sport Shop for 10 years.
‘They have a great selection. I bought my first baseball glove here. It’s sad a local business is closing,’ he said.
The shop was a haven for those who play games and not just kids.
‘I play a lot of sports,’ says Steve, who was at the shop with his wife, Erin, and son, Andrew, on a recent Saturday. They’ve been customers of Harper Sport Shop since moving to Grosse Pointe seven years ago. ‘It has everything I need. I’m going to miss it. It’s pretty shocking to hear about it closing.’
Mark, Michael and Mary Beth Seppala will miss their loyal customers. And, Mary Beth adds, ‘Our employees. Over the years, past employees say this was the best job they had, and it was a fun place to work.’
Harper Sport Shop is located at 23208 Greater Mack Ave. in St. Clair Shores. Find their website at harpersportshop.com or call 586-779-9090.
