When did The LAX Shop open in Chicago. How large is the store and what unique features does it offer. What types of lacrosse equipment and apparel are available at The LAX Shop. Who is the owner of The LAX Shop and what is his background in lacrosse.
The LAX Shop: Filling a Niche in Chicago’s Lacrosse Scene
The LAX Shop, Chicago’s first dedicated lacrosse equipment store, opened its doors on April 30, 2011, in the vibrant Lakeview/Wrigleyville neighborhood. This 2,000-square-foot retail space at 1216 W. Belmont Avenue is set to become a hub for lacrosse enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels.
The store’s arrival coincides with the rapid growth of lacrosse in the Chicago area. In just a few years, the Chicago Youth Lacrosse league has expanded from 50 players to nearly 1,000, reflecting the sport’s surging popularity.
Why is a dedicated lacrosse store important for Chicago?
A specialized lacrosse store in Chicago is crucial for several reasons:
- It provides easy access to high-quality equipment for players at all levels
- It offers expert advice and personalized service from knowledgeable staff
- It supports the growing lacrosse community in the area
- It helps introduce new players to the sport
Comprehensive Inventory: Equipping Players from Head to Toe
The LAX Shop boasts an extensive selection of lacrosse equipment and apparel for both male and female players. Customers can find everything they need to play the game, including:
- Helmets
- Shoulder pads
- Arm pads
- Gloves
- Sticks
- Cleats
- Mouth guards
The store carries products from top manufacturers in the industry, such as Warrior, Brine, STX, Maverik, and Cascade. This ensures that players have access to the latest and most advanced equipment available.
Does The LAX Shop cater to beginners?
Yes, The LAX Shop is committed to serving players of all skill levels, including beginners. The store plans to introduce a unique equipment rental program, allowing new players to rent essential gear like sticks, helmets, arm and shoulder pads, and gloves for an entire season. This initiative makes it easier and more affordable for newcomers to try the sport without a significant upfront investment.
The Shooting Cage: A Unique In-Store Experience
One of the most innovative features of The LAX Shop is its “shooting cage” located at the rear of the store. This enclosed area allows customers to test equipment, receive coaching tips, and have fun while improving their skills.
How does the shooting cage enhance the shopping experience?
The shooting cage offers several benefits to customers:
- It allows players to try out different stick models before purchasing
- A radar gun measures shot speed and accuracy, helping players gauge their performance
- Staff can provide immediate feedback and coaching tips
- It creates an interactive and engaging environment within the store
This feature sets The LAX Shop apart from other sporting goods stores, providing a unique, hands-on experience for lacrosse players.
Justin Smith: The Visionary Behind The LAX Shop
The LAX Shop is the brainchild of Chicago businessman Justin Smith, whose extensive background in lacrosse makes him well-suited to run this specialized store.
What is Justin Smith’s lacrosse experience?
Justin Smith’s lacrosse credentials include:
- High school All-American at Lake Forest High School
- Three-time Illinois all-state team member
- Collegiate player at Denison University in Ohio
- Team captain and three-time all-conference honoree at Denison
- Assistant coach at Saint Ignatius College Prep (2009 Class “B” Illinois state champions)
- Coach in the Chicago Youth Lacrosse (CYL) program
Smith’s extensive playing and coaching experience informs his approach to running The LAX Shop, ensuring that customers receive expert advice and guidance.
Supporting the Growth of Lacrosse in Chicago
The LAX Shop aims to be more than just a retail outlet; it’s positioned to become a central hub for the Chicago lacrosse community. As the sport continues to grow in popularity, the store is poised to play a crucial role in its development.
How is The LAX Shop supporting local lacrosse programs?
The store is committed to supporting local lacrosse programs in several ways:
- Providing equipment and uniforms for entire school and club teams at affordable prices
- Offering bulk ordering programs for teams and organizations
- Serving as an information center for those new to the sport
- Displaying historical data about lacrosse throughout the store to educate customers
By offering these services, The LAX Shop is helping to foster the growth of lacrosse at all levels in the Chicago area.
The Future of Lacrosse in Illinois
The opening of The LAX Shop comes at a time when lacrosse is gaining significant traction in Illinois. This growth could lead to important developments in the near future.
Is lacrosse becoming an official high school sport in Illinois?
While lacrosse is not yet an officially sanctioned sport by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), there are indications that this could change in the coming years. Currently, there are approximately 15-20 high school lacrosse programs in Chicago alone. As the sport continues to grow in popularity, it’s likely that more schools will add lacrosse programs, potentially leading to official recognition by the IHSA for both boys’ and girls’ lacrosse.
The growth of lacrosse is not limited to high schools. There’s potential for the sport to expand into lower levels as well, including junior high and intermediate schools. This grassroots development could further solidify lacrosse’s place in Illinois’ athletic landscape.
The LAX Shop: More Than Just Equipment
While The LAX Shop’s primary focus is on providing high-quality lacrosse equipment and apparel, the store aims to offer much more to its customers and the broader lacrosse community.
What additional services does The LAX Shop provide?
The LAX Shop goes beyond simply selling equipment by offering:
- Expert advice on equipment selection and usage
- Coaching tips and technique guidance
- A place for lacrosse players to gather and connect
- Educational resources on the history and rules of lacrosse
- Support for local lacrosse teams and organizations
These additional services help position The LAX Shop as a comprehensive resource for all things lacrosse in the Chicago area.
The Impact of The LAX Shop on Chicago’s Sporting Landscape
The opening of The LAX Shop represents a significant milestone in the development of lacrosse in Chicago. As the first store in the area dedicated solely to the sport, it fills a crucial niche and provides valuable resources for players, coaches, and fans alike.
How might The LAX Shop influence the future of lacrosse in Chicago?
The LAX Shop has the potential to impact Chicago’s lacrosse scene in several ways:
- Increasing accessibility to high-quality equipment and expert advice
- Fostering a sense of community among lacrosse players and enthusiasts
- Supporting the growth of youth and school lacrosse programs
- Raising awareness of lacrosse as a sport option in the Chicago area
- Potentially inspiring the opening of similar specialized stores in other locations
By providing a central hub for lacrosse equipment, knowledge, and community, The LAX Shop is poised to play a significant role in the sport’s continued growth and development in Chicago.
As lacrosse continues to gain popularity in the United States, stores like The LAX Shop will become increasingly important in supporting and nurturing the sport’s growth. The success of this venture in Chicago could serve as a model for similar stores in other cities where lacrosse is on the rise.
The opening of The LAX Shop marks an exciting new chapter for lacrosse in Chicago. With its comprehensive inventory, unique features like the shooting cage, and the expertise of owner Justin Smith, the store is well-positioned to become a cornerstone of the local lacrosse community. As the sport continues to grow in popularity, The LAX Shop will undoubtedly play a crucial role in equipping and inspiring the next generation of lacrosse players in the Windy City.
New Store Opens In Chicago To Serve Booming Growth of Lacrosse
Chicago, IL (MMD Newswire) April 26, 2011 — With the booming popularity of the sport of lacrosse (“the fastest game on two feet”) in the Chicago area and across the USA, a unique new store to equip and teach both male and female players is opening downtown in the Lakeview/Wrigleyville area.
The LAX Shop, the only store of its kind in the Chicagoland area, is opening Saturday, April 30, at 10 a.m., according to the store’s owner, Chicago businessman Justin Smith. The LAX Shop, 1216 W. Belmont Avenue, will feature nearly 2,000 square feet of lacrosse equipment and apparel plus a one-of-a-kind “shooting cage” in the rear of the store.
“The time is right for a state-of-the-art lacrosse store downtown,” Smith said. “Just a few years ago, Chicago Youth Lacrosse had about 50 players in the sport and this year there are nearly a thousand. And, all indications are that the sport will continue to grow at a rapid pace with both males and females playing at all age levels.
”
Smith has designed The LAX Shop as a one-stop lacrosse headquarters for players from beginners to advanced athletes. The new store will carry a complete inventory of lacrosse equipment for both males and females, including helmets, shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves, sticks, cleats, mouth guards, and much more.
Equipment will be from the top manufacturers in the industry, including Warrior, Brine, STX, Maverik, Cascade and others. In addition, the store will carry a wide selection of non-lacrosse athletic apparel (cross training shoes, workout gear, custom t-shirts and sweatshirts) for other sports. Future plans call for a unique equipment rental program to equip beginning players with the sticks, helmets, arm and shoulder pads, and gloves they need for an entire season.
An exclusive feature of the new store is a “shooting cage,” with a radar gun for checking shot speed and accuracy. Here customers can try out equipment, get some coaching tips and have some fun. Similar to golf stores where customers can test different clubs, The LAX Shop customers can try out a certain brand of stick to ensure that it fits his or her skills.
“Our goal,” says Smith, “is to ensure that when a customer leaves the store, he or she will be completely satisfied with their gear and know exactly how to wear it and use it safely and successfully.”
With the growing popularity of lacrosse, it appears that the Illinois High School Association (ISHA) could possibly sanction both boys’ and girls’ lacrosse as state-sponsored sports in the future. There are currently some 15-20 high school lacrosse programs in the city of Chicago. Down the road, the lower level schools (junior high, intermediate) will also begin to have boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams.
“Many people in the area are still new to the game,” says Smith. “I will have historical data about the sport throughout the store. This will help people understand the longevity and power of the game, which is hundreds of years old. (Lacrosse in North America originated with Native North Americans.)
Smith will provide equipment and uniforms for entire school and club teams at affordable prices because of the efficient store’s bulk ordering program.
Justin Smith knows lacrosse. A 1993 graduate of Lake Forest High School, he was named a high school lacrosse All-American and three times was named to the Illinois all-state team. He also played football and hockey at Lake Forest. He then went on to star in lacrosse on the collegiate level at Denison University in Ohio, where he was team captain as a senior and three times earned all-conference honors. More recently he has been a lacrosse assistant coach at Chicago’s Saint Ignatius College Prep (the 2009 Class “B” Illinois state champion) and also coaches in the Chicago Youth Lacrosse (CYL) program.
Smith resides in the city with his wife Margie, daughter Ainsley and son Bo.
For more information, call (773) 525-1600, or visit the website at www.thelaxshop.com.
Lacrosse store lands in Chicago
April 25, 2011 07:00 AM
(Crain’s) — The LAX Shop, the first Chicago store dedicated solely to the sport of lacrosse, will open at 1216 W. Belmont Ave. in Lakeview next weekend.
At nearly 2,000 square feet, the LAX Shop will feature men’s and women’s apparel and equipment, from helmets and shoulder pads to sticks and cleats. A “shooting cage” in the back of the store will allow customers to check the speed and accuracy of their shot with a radar gun.
Owner Justin Smith, a Lake Forest native who played lacrosse at Denison University in Granville, Ohio in the 1990s, said the store will combine gear, coaching tips and a golf driving range-style environment.
“There’s a real need for a store downtown,” he said, noting that the Chicago Youth Lacrosse league currently counts more than 1,000 members, up from 50 five years ago. “It’s starting to explode, but parents still don’t know much about the game. They need guidance.”
They also need to be prepared to drop a lot of money. Mr. Smith said sticks range from $30 to $150. All told, a complete set of lower-end gear starts at about $300 and higher-end equipment can run more than $500.
“It’s less than hockey, but it’s still a major expense,” he said.
Mr. Smith, who has coached at Chicago’s St. Ignatius College Prep and in the Chicago Youth Lacrosse league, said the store will open an equipment rental business this summer to offset the sport’s prohibitive costs.
A staple of the East Coast prep and collegiate athletic scene since the 1990s, lacrosse has made slower inroads in the Midwest.
Major League Lacrosse, founded in 1999, included the Chicago Machine franchise from 2006 to 2010. After playing as a traveling team with no Chicago-area games last year, the franchise relocated to Rochester, N.Y., in November.
High-school lacrosse here is considered a club sport with no varsity teams or state competition. In 2009, the Illinois High School Assn. said it would sanction boys’ lacrosse beginning in 2011, provided at least 65 teams participated. Early this year, however, only 47 teams across the state agreed to participate, delaying the sport’s varsity designation until at least next year.
But Chicago-area lacrosse programs have nonetheless expanded rapidly in the last five years.
Aurora University is in the middle of its first NCAA Division III varsity men’s season. Earlier this year, Benedictine University in Lisle announced it will sponsor Division III men’s and women’s teams beginning in 2013.
The Illinois High School Lacrosse Assn., meanwhile, counts 79 public and parochial teams across the state, though Mr. Smith said additional schools have teams that are not registered. He said the number of high-school teams is actually more than 100, up from 13 in 1993.
Another local retailer, Chicago Lacrosse Co.formerly Lacrosse America—operates stores in Northbrook, Libertyville, La range and Naperville.
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15KB 90,000 Panarin knocked out 500 points in the NHL – he made 2 + 2 in a match with an almost native “Chicago”.
Only superstars were faster than him – Hockey news
The anniversary crept up unnoticed.
“Saad fits in perfectly with our squad – it’s a well-known fact. We always hoped to get him back, at some point,” Chicago general manager Stan Bowman explained in June 2017 after Panarin’s shocking trade to Columbus for an American.
A lot of time has passed since then: the Blackhawks won only one playoff game (except for the covid qualifying round), gave the worst start in their history in 2021, Stan Bowman was fired from the club due to a sexual assault case years ago, and Brandon Saad is already scoring points for St. Louis (in 2020, Chicago traded him to Colorado for Zadorov!).
Not to say that at the same time Panarin massively collects cups and awards, but at least he made some noise with the Blue Jackets in the playoffs, and in the Rangers he finally strengthened his status as one of the main stars of the league. New York is traditionally stormy, but it seems that this season the team is ready to take a step forward – in any case, the current “Chicago” is definitely no match for him.
That showed the match on Tuesday.
Already in the second minute of the match, the Rangers opened the scoring – Panarin gave the puck for Jake Truba’s shot.
At the 24th minute, Panarin already scored himself, closing an excellent pass in the majority:
And in the third period, Artemy helped Kreider score in the 5×4 format.
Artemy scored one more goal into an empty net, although it was not the last one for the teams in the match.
“Today he was incredible,” Mika Zibanejad said about his partner. “Great game from him.”
During the evening, the leader of the Rangers scored 2 + 2, but the numbers for his entire overseas career are much more interesting: 174 + 329 over 457 games. His transfer to Truba at the very beginning of the match became the 500th anniversary score. Of the current players, only four reached half a thousand faster – the company is very solid.
An important point: players from the top 4 scored their first 500 points (why, all their points) by playing for only one club.
