A Match Made in Lacrosse Heaven

If Garden City isn’t the Mecca for lacrosse on Long Island, it is in the first sentence of the conversation. Now, at long last, a store has arrived to service a village known for its lacrosse passion and prowess.

“It’s the biggest lacrosse town on Long Island,” Justin Baker, manager at Lacrosse Unlimited, said of Garden City. Baker will head up the new Lacrosse Unlimited, which moved into the former Bagelman space at 664 Franklin Avenue. “I think next year is going to be a huge year for us. If we had come a month earlier it would have been huge this year. But we missed that first jump.”

Lacrosse Unlimited opened its doors March 15, about a month later than Baker would have liked. Requisite permits, which at one point stopped the inside renovation completely for three weeks, delayed the opening. What’s more, the store is still awaiting the signage that will adorn both the front and back entrances. That should come soon. In the meantime, Baker has to put up with the few people who walk into the store thinking Bagelman is still occupying the premises.

Once inside, however, you know it’s a lacrosse store.

Lacrosse Unlimited is well positioned to succeed here. The three owners have 24 stores, and none have ever closed. Back in 1995, they were deciding between Manhasset and Garden City for a Lacrosse Unlimited location. They chose Manhasset but planned to open a store in Garden City.

Sixteen years later, the dream was realized. “They wanted the right location. They were very patient, they didn’t want to just settle for any store,” Baker said.

Baker said this location is ideal because you get the foot traffic from Seventh Street, the ample parking in the back and the vehicular traffic along Franklin Avenue that will see the location as well. He said they want the store to appeal to lacrosse players – and non-lacrosse players – from here and neighboring towns.

“We could do great with just Garden City [business], but we need to hit some of the other towns like Mineola and Carle Place to really do great, and that’s what we want,” Baker said.

Although Lacrosse Unlimited opened just after the pre-spring rush, Baker believes the store will generate increased business in May, leading up to the NCAA Division II Women’s Final Four, which for the first time will be held at Adelphi University. The Panthers are the defending national champs.

“When lacrosse tournaments happen at Hofstra our East Meadow store gets packed, and I expect the same will be true with Adelphi,” he said.

Lacrosse Unlimited’s latest store opening might be situated in the best possible location: minutes from Garden City High School, home of the five-time defending state champion girls' team and the defending Long Island champion boys’ team; one mile from lacrosse hotbed Adelphi; a mile and a half from Sacred Heart Academy, one of the premier programs in the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA); and two miles from Chaminade High School, which features the perennial CHSAA power boys’ team.

Indeed, Baker said players from Garden City, Chaminade, Sacred Heart and Adelphi have come into the store inquiring about part-time work. He has hired some, and hopes to add more personnel as the store gets ramped up.  

“Once we get the word out and the surrounding towns here about us, we’ll do well,” Baker said.

The store is open seven days a week, until 9 p.m. on weekdays.