Guam Premier Outlets is remodeling to accommodate the next evolution in sports retailing for the Bristol family of businesses. Jeff and Kathy Bristol co-owners already run two successful retail sporting goods and fashion outlets at GPO and now they plan to open a third store.

Monte Mesa general manager of GPO said the store will occupy 10 800 square feet of renovated space. “We’re basically enclosing the back corner up to the Lin’s Jewelry location ” he said.

Mesa added the outlets in that location would move to other vacant areas within the GPO facility. The addition of this new outlet store will bump the GPO property occupancy up to about 98%. Mesa attributed the success in almost full occupancy to GPO’s effort in attracting and maintaining great working relationships with nationally owned and brand-affiliated businesses. He said the success could also be attributed to GPO’s selective nature in picking stores that are unique and do not duplicate existing outlets. “Jeff and Kathy Bristol obviously see a void in the marketplace and they plan to fill it ” Mesa said. The fact that the Bristols continue to run two stores after five years also speaks to the confidence GPO has in the new business. “They have proven their ability to operate sports concept shops and they have proven it can be successful. They know their stores and they know their customers ” he said. “They are able to stay on top of all the retail sporting goods and fashion trends.”

Bristol opened the Island Discount Golf outlet of 3 000 square feet about four years ago in December 1999 followed by another sports retail store of 6 000square feet in July 2002. “It took years of negotiating but we finally were able to get Nike to approve a privately owned Nike store. I think we’re one of the few privately owned Nike stores in the world ” he said. Bristol told the Journal the Nike outlet was a difficult sell to Nike officials because a large Nike manufacturer scouted the market and then decided to scrap the idea. That scrapped idea was Bristol’s proverbial foot in the door. He was able to open another door and is ready to launch yet another sports concept shop. “This Nike store was really a good test market ” Bristol said. As a testament to the success of the Nike store Bristol said a change in his corporate sales representative yielded the question “How many stores do you own?” and according to Bristol “he just couldn’t believe we only owned this one (Nike) store.”

Bristol said Guam is experiencing an upward trend in the economy and in sports equipment and apparel.

“We saw a huge growth in sales in the active lifestyle apparel and footwear and we just thought that it was a really growing market and we wanted to expand it into a multibrand store ” he said. Bristol plans to open “Goody’s Sporting Goods” in August. Consumers should see everything from the latest active footwear and clothing to camping gear personal watercraft the latest and top-of-the-line fitness equipment a whole new line of tennis equipment and traditional sports equipment. Bristol understands he must be competitive with non-traditional retailers. “We plan to have everything priced to compete with the Internet ” he said. Over the years Bristol has maintained a steady base of local return customers at his golf shop. “Our customers don’t come in asking for a discount because they know that they will get the best price possible ” he said. As part of the golf store’s effort to satisfy the customer Island Discount Golf also offers golf gear repair.

Competitive pricing and great service are two main components of the Bristols’ business operations and they intend to have those ingredients carry into the new store. “Without good customer service you don’t have a good store ” Bristol said. He said another sports-concept store at nearly 11 000 square feet is viable. “If you look at the market we’re going to outgrow that store ” he said. MBJ