After 80 Years, Stan’s Tells Hoboken: ‘We Held On as Long as We Could’

After 80 years in Hoboken, Stan’s Sport Center is closing its storefront, though the family business itself will continue in a new form.

Stan’s opened its doors in Hoboken in 1946 and grew over eight decades into a fixture of the community, outfitting generations of local athletes. In an announcement, the business thanked customers “for growing up with us, for bringing your children, and then your grandchildren, through our doors.”

While the Hoboken storefront is closing, the business said it is not going away. Stan’s will continue as an authorized team dealer and full-service sporting goods vendor, serving schools, teams, organizations, and communities throughout New Jersey and beyond.

“Our next chapter is already underway,” the business said, describing the move as part of adapting to a changing retail landscape. “Sometimes, keeping a business alive means having the courage to let part of it go. Small businesses have to adapt, or risk disappearing altogether.”

The announcement also carried a message for the community about supporting local businesses. “If 80 years in Hoboken has taught us anything, it’s this: shop small when you can,” the business said. “Visit the store. Know the owner. Support the businesses in your community. Because your business matters more than you may ever realize.”

The business marked the milestone as the end of one chapter rather than the whole story. “The storefront may be closing,” it said. “The story isn’t.”