MDen has purchased Moes Sports Shop
https://twitter.com/themden/status/864196732556652544
My first thought as well. Hopefully this won't negatively impact the mgopodcast sponsorship
That was my first thought, as well.
It wasnt my first thought
Oh, it's just WD
MDen is still a competitor to UGP and The Bo Store. I think MGoBlog's loyalty still lies with Rishi and Ryan.
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MDen reminds me of Zingermans in their local shop gone corporate vibe.
still don't know why all outbound link on this site don't automatically open in a new window. That is all.
I've long been much more inclined to buy Michigan gear/apparel from Moe's than the overpriced homogenized stuff MDen has carried for many years. From what I've experienced, Moe's historically has carried far more uniquely-Michigan apparel than does MDen. And their pricing is much more reasonable and affordable.
Though I doubt it happens, I'm hoping MDen lets Moe's continue to operate independently rather than force them to change to a Nike-dominated product line.
I'll take a Champion sweatshirt from Moe's any day over something Nike from MDen.
If it stays Moes then I'm not upset. If it just means another large MDen then this sucks.
But will The Beav still have a job?
Why is MDen the best in the business? Because they carry the best of all time Nike Gear.
And, agreeing with everyone above, undisputed retailers are a horrible thing.
While this news is certainly board worthy, I'm sure others feel similarly that we don't need WD's added glee that the Mden has "won out".
As many Michigan fans know, Moe's was the birthplace of Michigan apparel. Even coach Harbaugh mentioned the joy of seeing his children shop at the Moe's store as one of the big reasons on why he would want to leave the NFL and come back to Ann Arbor. For those of us who are not Nike brand label driven, like WD, we're sad to see an iconic small business get bought out by a bigger corporate institution.
I love the Mden and shop there regularly. But the best case scenario for a Michigan apparel fan would be MDen and Moe's thriving concurrently.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/10/moe_sports_shop_at_100_its_a_s.html
I appreciate WD's fanatical devotion to Michigan's history and Michigan themed apparel. Because of this, I would expect him to show a greater appreciation to what I contend was the birthplace of a big part of his fandom.
Former Moes owner Bud VanDeWege Sr's son Bud VanDeWege, Jr. was Michigan's women's basketball coach and had some modest success. Prevously he was part time assistant for Bill Frieder. As a former long time Ann Arborite I liked Moes and how they were tied into the community. Bud Jr sold the store a few years back..
I'm old enough to remember when Moe's would screen-print numbers onto t-shirts for things like IM sports teams--the heat press was right in the middle of the store. It was a "sport shop" in many senses of the word. All around the walls were fading polaroids of Michigan athletes who came into the shop, going back well into the 1970s. It felt real. One of my favorite Michigan memories is cramming in the door to Moe's the day after the Rose Bowl in '98 to get the merchandise right off the presses. Even under the new ownership, Moe's had a slightly more authentic vibe. I feel like everything I buy at Moe's is an investment that I'm glad to own.
MDen is a shop at the mall. It sells the tacky junk. You go because they might have what you want. This isn't great.
And, for the record because WD got it totally wrong, the business name is "Moe Sport Shops," not "Moes Sports Shop."
Bando, were you the one who stepped on my foot cutting in line after the 98 Rose Bowl? You smudged my Stan Smith Adidas, you bastard.
"Why spend the rest of your life in jail 'coz someone smudged your Pumas?"
I always preferred Moe's. Better hats, better shirts, better staff, felt like the real small business it was. Totally agree.
I'm negging this for WD's, "mogblog has gone up in smoke without him" and "a michigan degree is just a piece of paper".
I always liked that Moe's provided some local competition for M-Den. The store also felt much more small business compared to M-Den's mega-corporate vibe. I guess the good news is since Underground Printing is already a chain, it can't be absorbed, but this can't be a good thing to have Moe's get swallowed up.
Bring back Steve and Barry's! 3 t-shirts for $12 (or so)...
I am years removed from first hand experience, but Moe's always had fresher gear.
A shame. Moe's was the original / best there was until a few years ago when it sold to UGP.
Unless of course Moe's was looking to get out of the business and was actively looking for the best deal for the owners. I can't begrudge him that choice.
This is like an alternate reality where Ray Zalinski succeeds in Buying Callahan Auto.
First Stein & Goetz, then a favorite headshop, now Moe's. My formative years in Ann Arbor are passing like sand through an hourglass.
