Impressions - Sports Fan Retailer - June 2015 - 37

The home-state University of Tennessee Volunteers are
represented in a wide variety of items offered at the store,
from apparel to accessories, and even novelty items.

able sections devoted to the Tennessee
Titans, Vanderbilt Commodores and
several other SEC teams, but there's no
question that the Volunteers reign supreme. The state's football market and
the store's space allotment reflects that.
Because of this, sales largely are driven by the Vols' success on the field and
the hype surrounding the team - a
philosophy that represents the rule for
most retailers in an industry that caters
to sports fans.
"This business is driven by wins and
losses," Tony says. "If Tennessee opens
the season 5-0, our sales are going to
be great. If they open 1-4, I'm probably
not going to be doing as good. It's a very
emotion-driven business."
And when football season comes, the
Mincheys will be rooting along with the
rest of the Tennessee faithful, not only
because they're fans, but also because
the success of their relatively new store
relies on the team's success.
A PLACE OF THEIR OWN
The Mincheys are seasoned veterans of
the retail game, and though they opened
The Ultimate Sports Fan in October 2013,
the couple has about 45 years of combined
retail experience.
"I've been involved in retail since 1987,"
Tony says. "I started in a music store when
SportsFan Retailer

they actually existed back in the day. That
was my start in the retail business - I
worked there for eight years - before I
got into the sports licensing business."
A high school friend convinced him
to work at a local sports shop in 1996,
and together they grew it into a six-store,
$10 million enterprise in Nashville. The
business changed owners several times
during the next 15 years, but Tony was
a constant presence. Brandy eventually
joined the operation because of her customer service skills.
The Mincheys left the sporting goods
business in May 2013 with intentions of
opening their own store, and The Ultimate Sports Fan welcomed its first customers later that year.
"We both love sports, and we have both
had our experiences of working in other
retail positions and jobs, so we figured
why not?" Brandy says.

DIFFERENT ROLES, A COMMON GOAL
While they both have decidedly different
retail talents, the Mincheys have realized
such is a blessing, not a curse.
"I'm basically the store manager," Tony
says. "I also deal with the buying aspect of
the business, and do the website as well.
Brandy helps me out throughout the week
on the website, merchandising [and] the
money side of the business. Dealing with
the money is not my strong point."
In addition to offering support with
the business's finances, Brandy also is
the face of its customer service component. "I think that's one thing that makes
us great," Tony says. "I have my strong
points and she has her strong points,
and they're all different so we work well
together."
Because the Mincheys are so hands-on
in every facet of managing The Ultimate
Sports Fan, they've had to adapt and learn

The Ultimate Sports Fan At A Glance
Company Name: The Ultimate Sports Fan
Address: 300 Pleasant Grove Road, Suite 360, Mount Juliet, TN 37122
Store Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. CST; Sunday: noon-8 p.m. CST
Year Opened: 2013
Items Carried: Sports apparel and accessories
Website: ultsportsfan.com
Facebook: ultsportsfan

June 2015 37

http://www.ultsportsfan.com

Impressions - Sports Fan Retailer - June 2015

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