Sports resale store closes in Fayetteville after 25 years in business

After 25 years of selling sports equipment, a sporting goods resale store in Fayetteville has closed its doors.

The decision to shutter Play It Again Sports, described by owner Jeff Mozingo as "one of the toughest" of his life, was driven by multiple factors, including a slower financial year and the approaching end of the franchise agreement. The store at 245 Westwood Shopping Center was listed for $150,000 in June, but even after dropping the price to $66,000, the store could not secure a buyer, Mozingo said.

Attempts to contact Westwood Shopping Center for information about future plans for the space were unsuccessful.

"My franchise agreement was up for renewal on Aug. 1," Mozingo said Tuesday. "Renewing it would have locked me into a 10-year commitment. The lease had a clause allowing me to exit in November 2024, so when the store didn't sell, we decided not to renew the franchise agreement and to exercise our option to leave the lease.”

Previous coverage: Fayetteville sporting goods store on the market after more than 25 years

What caused Play It Again Sports to close?

Mozingo said the decision to close wasn't directly influenced by market conditions. The store had been under his ownership for the past four years after he purchased the brand from original owners Dean and Anne Mathias in May 2020. He said that while the store had generally performed well in recent years, 2024 had been a slower year financially.

"The down economy was hurting, but we had options to combat that. However, those options required more money and time on franchise agreements and leases," Mozingo said. "I just felt it was in my best interest not to continue."

Over the years, Play It Again Sports provided affordable sports gear to countless local athletes and their families.

“It’s going to be tough for younger athletes starting out for the first time,” he said. “We could get a mom with two kids outfitted for a baseball season at a fraction of the cost compared to other stores. It hurts me to think that families won’t have this avenue anymore.”

As for the future, Mozingo said he has no immediate plans for new ventures but remains grateful for the support received from the Play It Again Sports franchise headquarters during the closure process. He said that while Play It Again Sports may be closing in Fayetteville, there are several other locations in North Carolina, including Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Greenville, Holly Springs and Wilmington.

“As the Air Force taught me, this isn’t goodbye — just so long for now," Mozingo said.

Reporter Lizmary Evans covers growth and development for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at LEvans@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Sports resale store closes in Fayetteville after 25 years in business