LA's Best Used Sporting Goods Stores
Playing outdoor sports is year-round proposition in sunny Los Angeles. So is picking more than one game to play, even if you're not competing with anyone but yourself. Therefore, to spare yourself from spending your discretionary income on gearing up to get ready for your desired activity on any given day, consider these five places for finding top quality used and discounted sporting goods for yourself or your kids to enjoy in the Southland.
Crowne City Golf Shoppe
1055 E. Green St.
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 793-0097
www.crowncitygolfshop.com
If you're just getting keen on chasing little white balls around verdant greens but tired of renting equipment and ready to spend the big bucks on your own kit, this Pasadena outlet has the solution: used clubs. Not only is there a huge selection of complete sets as well as individual wedges, putters, and the like, but there is also a cage on hand in this vast retail store that will allow you to try out whatever wares suit your fancy to see if these are, indeed, the golf clubs of your choice. If you're not sure, then don't fret, because Richard is there to help. He's the owner of this golfer's paradise and he will be glad to take a look at your swing to make his own, personal recommendations as to what he has in store that is best suited for you.
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El Porto Surf Shop
3804 Highland Ave.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-9296
www.elportosurfboard.com
For those looking to take up surfing or who only occasionally crash the waves, this Manhattan Beach shop just inches from the shore serves up plenty of new and used boards at great prices. Also on hand here at bargain basement costs are accessories like wax and stickers (for just a buck). If you're still not sure of what you want to do, you can rent a board here for yet another day while picking up abundant advice on this seminal Southland sport. The advice given here is especially valuable, since old timers who have hung 10 for decades like to hang around at El Porto to offer a wide perspective on a sport ready for any Angeleno game enough to take on the Pacific. An added bonus: The friendly staff also offers ding repairs at very competitive prices, no matter how nasty the board's boo boo seems to be.
The Racket Doctor
3412 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 666-6601
www.racketdoctor.com
This storied and quite unique Atwater Village outlet located about a mile from the Griffith Park courts has been around for decades to serve every tennis need that comes up. Here you can have your racket re-strung here and even get a diagnostic on an old piece of equipment. You can also find vintage items to purchase that are practically a steal. For instance, this summer, one tennis player picked up a two-year-old Dunlap 400 at The Racket Doctor for just $10. Nothing beats that –– except, perhaps, a good game of tennis on a cool summer morning in the heart of Los Angeles.
Eco Dive Center
4027 Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 398-5759
www.ecodivecenter.com
If it's time to stop renting and start owning your own scuba gear, this is the place to go. Not only will you find a vast array of new and used equipment, but you can also trade in your old equipment to help cover the cost of what you decide to buy. Rentals are on tap here, too, as are scuba tune-ups, so don't be shy if your regulator needs some much needed work. In fact, the menu of items ready for your next dive at this Culver City shop are so numerous you'll be sure to find what you're looking for at a price that fits your budget.
Related: Best Places To Get Scuba Diving Lessons In Los Angeles
Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist. Check out her articles on Examiner.com.
