European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 5, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine cafes sports a new line of stores a Schneider right at Giessen sports store tells Alfonzo Walker Stout thet1,300 Cannon Fafa sh1000.  Munich bureaus ports and fitness enthusiasts from bikers to hikers have turned the Chain of cafes Europe spoils stores into the hottest link in Ino cafes system despite the highly specialized and sometimes pricey inventory. The increased emphasis by the military on physical illness May be a Factor Sugg cols marketing director Joel Sontag. Bail the trend also follows sales patterns in the  that trend has the sales of spoiling goods in military exchanges up of Ray 60 percent compared o last year out distancing  clothing up so percent and recorded music up 48 percent. Spearheading thai skyrocketing sales picture is the sports store which has evolved into sort of a boutique for he Rabid Sporl Sman something previously not available through cafes retail stores. The concept of the sports store however was inherited from a Chain of stores previously operated by the bavarian based armed forces recreation Center always popular and Well ins led but Short on capital for investment and expansion. An organizational study of arc recommended among other things that offic get Oul of the retail business and Lurn responsibility for the stores Over to the Exchange service. In late 1964, cafes assumed control of the stores Anci immediately began a program of expansion and renovation. The store in Garmisch considered the flagship of the Chain got a comp Tele Facelift. The Munich store was expanded and later moved into new facilities at the main Exchange stores  opened at other locations in German ranging  to Baur Holder White ownership changed hands much of the old Stafl remained and the Basic philosophy changed hello the idea was. And remains to provide a specialized store Wilh specialized equipment Tor spoils enthusiasts perhaps the major change was a sudden availability of capital Lor investment in inventory i hat customers previously  gone downtown to by no longer although the depressed Dollar could to a contributing Factor officials believe Hull hit availability of merchandise is the main reason customers Arf Younng Inlo the  Al a Paco thai keeps Aal t s buyer flopping to meet the demand a rfcs Eui Ops he ,-t.- fit lo.-.n1  tit a i position with arc said we re nol Oul for the everyday Market we re looking for the specialized customer who wants specialized  sates statistics show Iacre apparently Are a lot of customers in the military Market interested in that specialised gear. Sales have quadrupled in the tast three years said purchasing chief Richard Hamilton in Garmisch Lor example sales have doubled to Aboul $200,000 per month although the expansion of the stores toothed communities has obviously Cul into potential sales at thai store to said. In Munich sates have jumped from $40,000 a month to Foughty $130,000 per month while the new store in Stuttgart immediately became the sales Leader Wilh a monthly average $300.000 in sales. Ove fail. Hamill on said the Exchange service s 11 sports stores average 11.5 million in soles each month. The Lucresa of Dib stores has nol been a compete Surprise. Officials knew there was a Market Tor the High priced sometimes esoteric recreational equipment Only the size of the Market was in question that has been answered very clearly by customers who Are keeping buyers Busy trying to maintain Slock Levels end fill special requests Downs for example cites instances of customers wanting bicycles whose Frame alone costs around ii ,300 the whole Bike would run Well Over �3,000. It s amazing to me but that s whal they want and we it try to get  bikes and biking accessories arc a healthy part of the summer sales picture at the sports stores. Bicycling continues to be the fastest growing sport and recreational activity in the United Stales according to Donald Smith cafes Europe sporting goods specialist Market surveys show that Bik ing is so Here running was Aboul four or live years  he said Exchange sales statistics seem to support  premise we Eccl to soil 6000 bikes in the of r $500 Price Range Downs said and we re  Louching the lip " that does i include the roughly 30,000 less expensive plug eos and similar models sold in oafs four seasons a lords the most popular of thu expensive hikes Are the american made cannons Les. Winch Stait at 1330 in the  and lop Oil Al around ,300 do is said in the Lall and in inc a. The stores Dollop the sporting  and Lum their locus to the slopes soc King up on i5. Hool j and bindings last year the Slort j sold shunt 17,000 a of Oki j irn j  a m Oij Uri. Lor wednesday August 5. 1987 about �0,000 sets for this year s ski season. Hamilton said. As Wilh hikes the concept is to offer top Quality name Brand merchandise at volume dealer prices last year for example the stores hollered some French made la Croix skis that Downs described As boutique  the skis sold in the sports stores Lor $147. But would go for Aboul $575 in the states he said. They have a very High or Sligo value in the . Which they Don l have Here in  he compared Illo owning a Mercodo in Germany. It just does t have the same prestige  a key ingredient in the stores Success Story officials believe is providing customer assistance with a sales Crew that has been trained in and on the equipment they re Selling Bui dial presents a problem because gelling and keeping quamily trained sales stall has been perhaps the biggest problem Al the Slous Hamilton said officials Are attempting to Deal Wilh Hal through extensive training programs Lor Itie sales staff often conducted by the manufacturers. For the downhill crowd for example. The Exchange service has fur the last three years taken Aboul 30 of its sports sales staff to the austrian slopes for a special ski clinic conducted by the manufacture is. They receive in depth training on the products they la be Selling Downs said the clinic ranges from nomenclature to killings to strapping on skis for a trip Down the Hill initial successes with the spurts concept led to expansion Wilh 11 stores now open and another three scheduled to open in Karlsruhe Neu Leimand fran Luil by the end of the year also the Baum older store is sealed Lor relocation and renovation tripling its sue. Sontag said the expansion of the stores will continue he mid we have a number of places under cons Deramion including other count neg Suchias Nlaly As the concept Man progressed Utho Alt have disco Mcd do her. Untapped Markels along Hie Way the a charge