Meet the Owners: Dave and Tony Jansen

At Valley Sports, Owner Dave Jansen greets many of his customers by name. It's easy for him to do after growing up in Shakopee and spending 30 years at the sports store on First Avenue. 

“It never seemed like I was going to work,” Jansen said.

The hometown businessman played sports at , and turned his passion into a full time job.

After working there for years, Jansen bought the store in 1990 and maintained its local charm. Handmade signs on the walls, a small dog named Wally running around, and simple services like skate sharpening, add to the store’s small town feel.

“Valley Sports has beat out the competition because we have a great relationship with the community, offer fair prices and our customer service can’t be beat,” Jansen explained.

After three decades, however, Jansen is preparing to retire.

“It’s time to move on,” he said.

Jansen already knows what will become of the business and he's quite comfortable with the store’s future owner. That's because Tony Jansen, Dave’s nephew, will take over in two years.

“I feel really good about leaving the business in the family,” he said. “Tony has worked here since he was 17, he’s always loved the store and I can’t think of a better person to leave this place to.”

The two have a great dynamic, cracking jokes and working with customers as the day unfolds. Dave even broke out a few pictures of Tony when he worked at the shop as a kid, evidence of a proud family connection housed inside the store.

Tony Jansen, 27, said he is excited to take the reigns from his uncle.

“Even when I was younger I knew this is where I wanted to be,” he said. “I’m a sports nut so what could be better than running a sports store?”

The younger Jansen says he doesn’t have radical plans to overhaul the business. The store will still sell its staple Shakopee and Jordan apparel and offer many services like screen printing and embroidery for local sports teams.

“The only thing I can think to improve is our online presence,” he said. “Other than that I’m going to try to make sound business decisions and keep moving forward.”

Dave Jansen said his nephew is learning fast, and believes the transition will be a smooth one.

“Tony has really learned the business quickly, and I think over the next few years we’ll solidify his knowledge – and then the store is all his.”