On any given day, Doug Stevenson can be found chatting about sports with customers at Sports Section, a sports merchandise store in Oshawa, Ont.
Located at 22 Stevenson Rd, the store has been active since 1989 and is celebrating its 35-year anniversary this year. Stevenson, the current owner, joined the store as an employee in 2007 and became the sole owner in 2019.
Sports Section is more than just the local sports store, however. For many, it’s a place to share their passion for sports. Stevenson embodies what it means to be a sports fan. It’s not uncommon for him to chat about recent sports news for hours at a time with fellow fans and customers. “There’s always something new in the world of sports,” Stevenson said.
Byron Edmondson, a longtime customer at Sports Section, said he loves the atmosphere of the store. “I could spend hours talking to Doug about sports. It’s always been important to me to support local businesses over chain stores,” he added.
Due to his 17 year tenure at Sports Section, Stevenson often sees longtime customers come into the store with their children. Many of these customers shopped at the store during their own childhoods. “The best part for me is when people who shopped here as a kid, come in and buy for their kids. It’s almost jarring,” Stevenson said.
The store was born out of necessity when the previous owner recognized a gap in the sports memorabilia market and saw an opportunity for Sports Section to fill it. In 2007, Stevenson joined the store on a placement and was eventually hired full time. This full time position led to a partnership with the previous owner and in 2019 Stevenson took over ownership.
The store is open six days a week, with Stevenson enjoying his Sundays off to watch football and other sporting events. But with many sports seasons in full swing around the holidays, the store can see as many as 200 customers in a day. “Typically you would see anywhere between 20 on a slow day, to as high as 200 as we approach Christmas,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson prides himself on providing more than just merchandise. “You can go into big box stores, and find stuff but you have people who just have a job. Part of what we offer is the ability to say ‘Hey.’ While you buy that St. Louis Blues hat, we can chat about the Blues’ season,” Stevenson said.
As the holidays approach, Sports Section continues to be a go-to spot for local sports fans. For Stevenson, the store is about more than sales, it’s about sharing his lifelong love of sports and connecting with the community.
“Sports was the draw for me,” he said. “But my favourite part is getting to talk about sports with people.”