NYC Racquet Sports Serving New York’s Tennis Needs

January 23, 2012 | By Michael Sarro

Woody Schneider has been a mainstay in the New York tennis community for 30-plus years. As current owner of NYC Racquet Sports and Grand Central Racquet in Midtown Manhattan, Woody’s shops are the authority on all racquet sports in New York City. Located centrally at 157 West 35th Street, NYC Racquet Sports offers all that the avid tennis player needs, from professional racquet stringing, to footwear and apparel and anything else you may need to be prepared for action on the court.

Woody owns and operates two additional New York City stores, a kiosk in Grand Central Station (between tracks 38 and 39) and Grand Central Racquet at 341 Madison Avenue (between Madison and Vanderbilt Avenues). In addition to the New York City locations, Woody also owns and operates the USTA Pro Shop on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. We recently caught up with Woody to discuss his retail locations and the many benefits that NYC Racquet Sports brings to its customers.

How did you begin your career in running tennis retail shops?
It happened by accident. I worked for 13 years inside Grand Central Station at a store called Commuter Sports Center. One day, my boss came to me and told me he was shutting it down. It was then time to try something on my own.

I started out in the stockroom of my friend’s store in Grand Central. Eventually, I rented my own 100-square foot space and set up a stringing shop. I have been told that it was the first time that anyone had ever opened up a shop dedicated strictly to stringing.

A few years later, there was a renovation done to Grand Central Station, and I was one of just a few businesses that remained open. We built a free-standing kiosk that could move on wheels when we couldn’t be in one part of the station. To this day, I still have a shop in Grand Central. It’s not in the best location, but people know where I am and come to me for business.

Tennis Week Magazine rented a store on 44th Street that they didn’t really want to run themselves, so I went into business with Gene Scott, former publisher of Tennis Week, and we turned that location into my first actual store.
Five years ago, my partner, Joan Dziena, and I were approached about taking over the pro shop at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Joan has 25-plus years of retail and garment center experience, and we began running the pro shop at the National Tennis Center.

What message do you have for those who buy their equipment online?
You cannot beat personalized service. Although most people are under the misconception that there are far greater savings online, the fact of the matter is that we are all held to industry standards on our prices, and if you look closely, the prices you see listed online are the same exact prices we have here in the store. In addition, there are some sites out there who are not authorized dealers, which means you have no warranty at all and also run the risk of a counterfeit racquet. There is no substitute for walking into a store, shaking the hand of a sales rep and speaking to them about what your issue is or what you are looking to purchase rather than on the phone with someone hundreds of miles away in a small corner office. It’s the personal care and helpfulness of our staff that helps you buy the right product. You cannot tell which racquet fits you best by clicking some button online.

What does your shop offer that the retail chains do not?
When you come in and talk to a person face-to-face who knows the sport and the products they are talking about, it is an overall better shopping experience. We have retail professionals on our staff who know more about the products than most teaching pros do. The teaching pros know what they like and what is good for them, not necessarily what’s suitable for the customer. We properly advise the customer to best suit their needs.
When you go to a chain store, I personally think it’s a disaster. How can you compare a racquet boutique shop that only specializes in racquet sports to a large sporting goods store? The sales rep at the sporting goods store might not have knowledge of tennis at all, whereas when you walk into a store like mine, you know for a fact that the employees are tennis players, tennis enthusiasts and experts on tennis products. Most of the large chains don’t even string racquets or offer demo programs! How is the guy who is selling Yankees jerseys going to be able to advise you on what tennis equipment to buy? That’s what we do and what we are here for … to help people choose the right products for them.

What are some of the bigger selling items at NYC Racquet Sports?
Babolat is always through the roof. The adidas Baricade 7.0 tennis shoe was a hot holiday item this season. Nike apparel also sells well. One unique item has been Roger Federer’s outfit from the end of the year tournament in London that has been selling real well. For myself, I have always been a Head man. I am excited for the Head Youtek IG Instinct racquet which Maria Sharapova switched to and Christina McHale uses. We do Christina’s stringing when she is here playing at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center where I have one of my shops. She is always thrilled with our services.

Do you see a spike in sales during the U.S. Open?
During the two weeks of the Open, it’s like our Christmas. We get people from all over the world, and they are so excited to find our store. We are ready for the big rush from New Yorkers, as well as tourists.

What has been the highlight of your career in the industry?
In 2010, Racquet Sports Industry awarded us the Retailer of the Year Award. After more than 30 years of being in the tennis industry, nothing ever made me more excited than that. Unfortunately there was no cash reward, just bragging rights. To congratulate us, many of our manufacturers sent us signed memorabilia, trophies, plaques, etc. It really made me feel that what I do makes a difference to people and I am glad that I can provide a service to the tennis community.

Any closing comments for our readers?
I would tell New York tennis players and tennis players in general to support your local tennis shop or retailer. We are here to offer you help in your process of searching for the right equipment for you. If you take tennis seriously, how are you going to know which racquet to buy if you have never used it? That is what we are here for, so feel free to take advantage of the opportunity.

For more information on NYC Racquet Sports, call (212) 695.5353 or visit GrandCentralRacquet.com.


Michael Sarro
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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