It’s full time for the Massapequa Soccer Store.
The family-owned enterprise, which has been a staple within the Lengthy Island soccer neighborhood for nearly 53 years, will likely be closing its doorways for good in June.
“I was 13 years old, and my mom and I really started the store,” proprietor Helen Fishman — who runs the enterprise along with her brother, Mark Bodenstein — advised The Publish. “I’ve been here my whole life.”
Fishman and Bodenstein elected to shut right down to take a well-deserved retirement — however not earlier than heartfelt thanks got here from throughout.
“The outpouring of support and memories we’ve gotten in the past few days, I guess my brother and I never realized the impact we made,” Fishman stated.
She added that Massapequa soccer nice Christie Welsh, who performed on the U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Crew, even reached out with a “beautiful” e mail on how the shop impacted her personal youth as a frequent buyer.
“It’s been people from the past coming back, the memories, it’s totally overwhelming,” Fishman stated. “It’s just unbelievable, you recognize the names of people you knew from 20, 30 years ago.”
The proprietor’s reminiscence is so vivid as a result of in her half century of working, speaking to prospects was the most effective a part of the job, she stated.
“I liked finding out, ‘Where do you play? What do you like to do?’ ” she stated.
“We really care about the people. And now we’re getting thank you after thank you. We should be thanking all of them for keeping us in business.”
In boys lacrosse this week, a robust 7-1 Port Washington staff hosts a 4-3 Mepham squad at 1 p.m. Saturday.
On the ladies aspect, 4-1 Lynbrook visits 2-6 North Shore at 10 a.m. Saturday.
