SP-Teri Changing Hands

[FigureSpins]

I had read several things about SP-Teri getting ready to close up shop.  The owners wanted to retire.

On FB this week, Bill Fauver revealed that a partnership had purchased the company and were moving it to Nashville, TN.
I believe they're the same group that brought Will Murillo and his Avanta group to Nashville before they moved Avanta to California a few years ago.

If you had orders on file with SP-Teri, they will be filled over the next few weeks by the San Francisco staff.

Sounds like they're keeping the same website and social media pages.

I don't have any other details.

[tstop4me]

Nashville, again, huh?  Maybe we can expect a new line of cowboy figure skating boots this time.  :-)

[AgnesNitt]

It looks like skating manufacturers don't last more than a couple of generations. Anyone remember Oberhamers?

[tstop4me]

It looks like skating manufacturers don't last more than a couple of generations. Anyone remember Oberhamers?

A couple of months ago, my coach and I were talking about boots.  She mentioned she wore Oberhamers in her younger days.   The skating director was nearby and overheard us; she talked about the Kneblis she still had squirelled away.

[nicklaszlo]

Thanks for the timely tip.

[Sibelius]

I visited Sp-Teri on Saturday for a sharpening for my daughter's skates and had a conversation with George about the plans.  He showed me the huge custom pallets that were built for shipping the machinery to Tennessee.  They were loading them up and shipping them out this week.

I'm not sure what the plans are on Bill Fauver's end, but George will continue to fit and rep the boots at trade shows and in a pro shop business model here in the Bay Area; fitting, mounting, sharpening etc.  I assume that initially at least (he said some of his workers are going to TN, and he'll be there helping them get set up, consulting etc.) the boots will remain mostly as they were.  I'd hope there will be some revamping to bring at least some of the newer materials and technology into the line.  One of the reasons my skater chose to stay in her Jacksons (which were fitted by George) as opposed to Sp-Teri boots was the weight.  She, and many of those going to Edeas just prefer the light weight models and even the lightest weight Sp-Teri was heavy (it's part of their design philosophy).  I hope it works out for all concerned, especially since there are so many younger skaters at our rink in Sp-Teri's who, when we first heard they were closing, were a bit upset at the thought of having to change boots.  My daughter's coach has been in them since she was 8, and most of her students (mine is the exception) are in them.  It's a tough business, and with Edea eating EVERYONE's lunch at this point, at least someone's going to try to keep the business going.