Baltimore’s Princeton Sports announced that after nearly 90 years in business, it will be closing as co-owners and brothers Paul and Alan Davis plan to retire.

In a statement, the third-generation owners said the Princeton Sports location of nearly 50 years, at 6239 Falls Road in Mount Washington, will be sold. The store’s inventory, fixtures and equipment will be liquidated through a retirement closing sale starting this Saturday, February 8.

Founded in 1936 by their grandparents, Samuel and Lucille Davis. Princeton Sports began renting bicycles for a nickel a day in Park Circle in Baltimore City. Samuel’s son, Sonny Davis, joined the business in 1963, introducing skiing gear to the product lineup and expanding to a second location in Columbia in 1981, which operated until 2018. Alan and Paul Davis took over following Sonny’s retirement.

“This is the end of an extraordinary chapter in our family’s history,” Paul Davis said. “For nearly 90 years, our family has been able to sell fun to the Baltimore community. However, the retail landscape has changed dramatically over the years, people’s buying habits have changed, making it difficult to operate in the way we once loved.”

“We’ve built something truly special, and it’s all because of the relationships we’ve formed with our employees, our customers, and the Baltimore community,” Alan Davis said. “It’s hard to say goodbye, but we are proud of what we’ve accomplished and the legacy we leave behind.”

Photo courtesy Princeton Sports