End of an era at Goodsports

•  Scott ‘Slaprock’ McLaughlin and long-time employee Sandra Gerke. 

By Taylor Clyne,
April 13, 2022

After almost 23 years operating Goodsports Scottsdale, popular community personality Scott McLaughlin has sold the business.

McLaughlin who is known more widely as Slaprock has been a great supporter of the North-East community sponsoring many events, sporting clubs and individual endeavours.

“It has been fantastic watching families grow and seeing them from when they’re bringing their kids in to get their first pair of shoes through until when they’re basically off to university,” he said.

“One of the highlights has just been being part of the community and being able to help sporting clubs, getting involved with fundraisers and how the whole community gets behind stuff like that.”

He said he was grateful for the support that local sporting clubs have given him in return.

Through the region’s economic highs and lows, he said the community has always supported local stores as much as they could.

“Over the last couple of year with Covid, while it’s been difficult, it’s meant the community’s reconnected with some of the local stores I think and realised what’s actually available in town,” McLaughlin said.

“We’re quite lucky, Scottsdale actually has a lot of good shops and we’ve had good support through that period.

“I feel comfortable handing the business over because retail is a little bit stronger than it was.”

He thanked long-time employee Sandra Gerke who has been with him since day one, providing invaluable work, guidance and friendship.

When asked what is next for him, McLaughlin said he plans to take a holiday and will then decide what to focus the next few years on before retiring.

While he’ll miss Goodsports and his loyal customers, he said the time is right to move on.

He said the business will be in good hands with new owners Danny and Michelle Crichton.