OT: Bob Perani has died.

I never met him, but his original shop in Flint is one of the best hockey stores around.  Very sad news.

but living in Flint my entire life, i've heard nothing but good things about the guy. He did great things for the city. We need more people like him. RIP

I try to catch the annual Peranis blowout sale at Lakeland every year. Ive bought a lot of equiptment and apparel for dirt cheap that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise (Im talking two Vapor one-pieces for 150 cheap). Condolences are with the family, must of been a great man.

I have spent alot of money at Perani's in Flint. His staff there is very knowledgeable and helpful. Sad to hear he's gone, my thoughts and prayers with his family, friends, and employees.

Wow.  Sad not just for the Flint area, or Michigan even.  They'd expanded to 19 stores (13 in Michigan, Rochester, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, London, Windsor and Dallas) and each of their locations that I'd been to were top notch.

I grew up and played youth hockey in the DC area and there were no good hockey stores there and really still aren't, so I usually bought most of my stuff from Perani's when I'd come up to Michigan to see my cousins or play tournaments.

Anyways, I really used to like using CCM Tack 952 wooden sticks with the Murphy curve. CCM stopped making the pattern and I was in a jam. So my dad called Perani's and tried to find a solution to the problem. Mr. Perani called him back about 2 hours later and said there was still a 12 pack of Tack 720s from a few years ago at the warehouse. He gave us a deal, I had the sticks before my next game, and I think I still have two that I use for roller hockey, etc.

I've been to the Flint, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Dimondale, and Windsor locations and never had an issue with the selection or the staff.

I remember going to Perani's when I was in squirts and was amazed by that place.The one in Flint is a hockey players dream.

a family favorite. And the entire mall is unique; like an antiques museum. It is worth a trip just to wander through it, able to connect with the past because of all the cool items in the hallways. I heard Bob owned the mall, but I am unsure if this is true. There is a model ship used in the movie Ben-Hur, a rebuilt Cessna, a really old gas pump, too. But it is mostly all the small items of nostalgic interest which captivate the imagination, or, stir good memories. Bob was a class act, and will be sorely missed. I heard Mike Modano bought his first pair of skates there, and many hockey stand-outs have been well served at his stores, as has the general public. Bob played in the pros with the Flint Generals. I never met him, but I would have liked to.

The first time I had ever been there was about a month ago when my 6yr old went to state finals for wrestling. I thought that it was a very nice place. R.I.P Bobby.