Enterprising bowling store owner has made a successful shift to selling trophies.
Rick Wagner's bowling supply store faced a tough choice: Find new lanes of profit or end up in the gutter. The year was 1985, and C.J. Wagner Bowling Supplies of Allentown recognized the declining popularity of its core sport. So store founder C.J. and son Rick made two tough decisions. They dropped once-popular bowling shirts and started selling trophies and awards.
The moves worked. The store supplies trophies, plaques and other awards to high school athletic associations throughout the region. It prints T-shirts and team clothing for community and nonprofit groups and engraves promotional items for companies. Bowling makes up only about one-third of the business. For Rick Wagner, the shift away from bowling has been bittersweet. He grew up around alleys, and still relishes the hard work of resurfacing wooden lanes.
The moves worked. The store supplies trophies, plaques and other awards to high school athletic associations throughout the region. It prints T-shirts and team clothing for community and nonprofit groups and engraves promotional items for companies. Bowling makes up only about one-third of the business. For Rick Wagner, the shift away from bowling has been bittersweet. He grew up around alleys, and still relishes the hard work of resurfacing wooden lanes.
