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Brian Le Goff
Published on
Dec 25 2024 at 6:41 p.m.
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It could have been a nice Christmas present. for one or more of your loved ones. When you take rue de Lorient, between Roazhon Park and downtown Rennes, it's impossible to miss this window full of dozens of trophies, cups, medals, etc. Behind it, hides Hobi Sports, a store dedicated to these awards, taken over 30 years ago by Gérard and his wife. Today widowerthe septuagenarian is supported by his daughter, Solène, in business management. For news Rennesfather and daughter retrace these three decades of historywhile at the dawn of Gérard's 80th birthday, both wish to let go.
“I accepted on a whim”
It all started in the mid-1990s, Gérard, 79 ans in January 2025, and his wife hold the tobacco bar in the Almadies shopping centerat the corner of rue de Sweden and avenue Henri-Fréville, Bréquigny district. “I was looking for another business. One day, a real estate agent client told me he had something for me, but it wasn't in my industry. He introduced me to the store, I accepted immediately head shot without knowing anything about it. »
When he told me about a haircut shop, I asked him what haircuts he was talking about. I had always only known cigarette packets.
Indeed, the man with the imposing build, first of all roofer in the first part of his career, had become tobacconist. “But the hours in the profession were important. So, the trophy shop allowed us to have a little more time. And there was a good turnover”he explains.
Why the name Hobi Sports?
When they took over the store, Gérard and his wife did not change its name: Hobi Sports. It refers to the watchmaking-jewellery that it was before.
In 1995, the transaction was made and Gérard was at the helm with his wife. Those were the good times for the sale of these rewards. “We worked with Citroën in La Janais, the Angevin company, then countless companies which offered cuts to employees and executives. »
Her daughter joins the adventure
Solene very quickly joined his parents after having left school at 16. “My mother gave me her place. We have also always worked a lot with town halls, associations, clubs, leagues,” she lists.
A store employee introduces engraving and she appreciated this practice which she continues to carry out on the different rewards sold. “I could engrave knives, bracelets, etc. »she explains, showing us old machines she used in the back room. “There is no more spare partsso I no longer use them to preserve their engine. »
Money has killed sport. A cup cannot be consumed.
But times have changed. “Today, giving away trophies is less and less common. People prefer gift baskets, cash or gift certificates. They say it: 'The cut has become outdated'. Yes, a cut, it is not consumed »she supports.
A world that changes without making room for cuts
She says: “What kept us going was shuffleboard tournaments. But, money killed the sport.” Indeed, with his father, they saw this world change doing competitions; certainly, but where there was no need to have all the latest generation equipment to do it, because it remained a hobby. “We don’t cannot sponsor associations either like the big sports stores, then we have also lost these associations. In the past, the money from the refreshments was used to buy the cups, that's over. »
Other parameters have obviously made the activity less prosperous than before. The arrival, around twenty years ago, of the Chinese competition and the advent of plastic have driven down prices and quality. “Before, we could assemble our own cuts, now they arrive ready-made. »
Even our supplier is starting to put himself on the internet and I will not be able to sell below his price, since it is my supplier.
The rise of the internet has also done a lot of damage to the company, almost unique in the department: “Today, customers no longer come to the store to choose. We send them the catalog. They place their order by phone or email and just pick up. »
And the neighborhood has also evolved, complicating traffic and parking : “Customers tell us, it is complicated to come to us. Parking spaces have been reduced. On both sides of the street, there was before the old E.Leclerc which moved to Cleunay in 2000 and a large car park which no longer exists. »
Le Covid has me an impact
Finally, the Covid caused the disappearance of many associations, mainly run by elderly people who were still in the habit of rewarding graduates with trophies, cups and medals. “He slapped everyone. The associations have failed,” observes Gérard.
Faced with this observation, and after nearly 30 years of experience in this field, Solène wishes to change activity. “I don’t know yet what I’m going to do, I live day by day. »For her father, retirement is well deserved after 64 years of working . The family story will not continue either. “My daughter wants to be a lawyer,” cuts Solène short.
An activity to diversify in the future
Solène and Gérard would however like see this shop continue after them:“There are possible diversifications to explore, the graffiti-printer Bisman on Boulevard de la Liberté in the city center has closed. He engraved all kinds of plaques for medical offices, lawyers, etc. » An avenue to explore for potential future managers.
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