Loney's Golf in receivership after 22 years in Winnipeg

I must admit that I never set foot in Loney's Pembina location until today, based on this article from the Free Press.

My goal was to find a Cobra driver at a really good price. Mission accomplished. When I arrived just after 11 am, they had been open since 9 and there were two Cobra drivers to be found. I selected the larger one, the 440 SZ, which normally retails for $399. I was told it was going for half price. At the till, they said it was actually half price from $288, so it was mine for $144. I also bought some oversized irons that were demo models: Ping G2 4 and 7, and a Callaway Big Bertha Fusion 6, for $25 each. The complete iron sets (8 clubs) of the Ping G2 and Callaway Big Bertha Fusion irons cost about $1500 each. I thought this would be a good way to try out some higher end irons until I buy my next set of clubs. I also bought a used Cobra five-iron, also oversized.






Loney's Golf in receivership after 22 years in Winnipeg

Sat Aug 20 2005

By Nick Martin
LONEY'S Golf Shop has gone into receivership after 22 years of operating in Winnipeg.

Inventory at the Pembina Highway store will be sold off beginning this morning, receiver Lazer Grant LLP Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors said yesterday.

Regina businessman Loney Anderson, who opened the store in the early 1980s and sold it 12 years ago to Dwayne Couldwell, said from Regina yesterday that the opening of big box golf stores such as Golf Town, combined with "brutal" weather the last two summers, have hurt the small golf retail business.

"The year 2004 was absolutely brutal for golfing. This year hasn't been much of a better start," he said.

Anderson said that he was unaware of exactly why Loney's Golf Shop had gone out of business, but said the opening of large golf stores would be a factor. Couldwell could not be reached.

Anderson pointed out that Nevada Bob's had closed down stores in Winnipeg earlier. "The market was over-retailed to begin with," he said.
Anderson still has two Loney's outlets in Regina, but has also sold the outlet he opened in Saskatoon when he built his small chain in the 1980s.

He said that the original Loney's was on Regent Avenue and Couldwell had moved it to Pembina Highway. There was also a store which operated on Portage Avenue for about five years in the 1980s.

Dave Comaskey, executive director of Golf Manitoba, said he was saddened to hear that Loney's is going out of business.

"The merchandising side of golf has been extremely competitive, with big box stores, and also the Internet," Comaskey said. "There's thousands upon thousands of websites people can go on and buy anything.

"I remember going into Loney's to look at equipment, and that would be 20 years ago," Comaskey said.

"It was great service, and that was what appealed to people," he said.
Officials at Lazer Grant were unavailable to elaborate on the receivership.