Whether you’re in need of a new stick, a jersey order for your team or the whole nine yards, odds are you’re heading to Pure Hockey. And with 54 locations in 18 states, plus an expansive online store, consumers know where to go: exactly where their hockey equipment, apparel and lifestyle needs will be met.
They have David Nectow and Sal Tiano to thank for that, two business partners who acquired Pure Hockey in 2008 and have led the retailer’s growth. They acquired Hockey Giant in October 2015 and Total Hockey in August 2016, essentially taking competing companies out of the picture.
But how did they get into the business of selling hockey gear? That story starts in 2002 when Nectow and Tiano were both coaching in Needham (Mass.) Youth Hockey and were getting their kids’ skates fitted at Needham Sporting Goods. Spontaneously, the owner asked if they’d want to buy such a store, and they ultimately decided to take it on as a side venture. The rest, as they like to say, is history.
