An Aggie Family Tradition
The Sportsman, located on 129 N. Main St. has had ties to Utah State University since its beginning.
“Things change constantly, but the one thing that always stays the same with us is that we’ve always tried to have a unique mixtue of products,” Mark Fjeldsted, a grandson of Croft and co-owner of the store, said.
The sporting goods store was started by Jack Croft and his wife Lucille in 1947, Fjeldsted said. Croft was heavily involved in the Utah Agricultural College (UAC), now Utah State University. Fjeldsted said his grandpa was an all-around athlete and was the Dean of Men at the college.
Croft went on to play professional football for the Racine Wisconsin team, now known as the Detroit Lions, Fjeldsted said. He was also an assistant football coach at UAC.
Fjeldsted said Croft moved from Ogden to attend UAC. During World War II he worked at the Ogden Defense Depot, and returned to Logan unemployed. This gave Croft the idea, his grandson said, of opening a small sporting goods store.
First, Croft had a supply for a gun and hunting customer base, with some fishing supplies as well, Fjeldsted said. He also sold women’s ski apparel, which was very uncommon at the time. Lucille altered clothing to better fit female customers. Fjeldsted said The Sportsman constantly changed their product line to meet old and new customers’ needs. Utah Gov. Cal Rampton later appointed Croft to Utah’s Tourist and Publicity Council, which he served on for eight years., he said.
In the 1960’s the Crofts sold the store to their daughter and son-in-law, Barbra and Russell Fjeldsted, Mark Fjeldsted’s parents, and it has stayed in the family ever since, he said. Each of Barbra and Russell’s six children have worked at least once in their lives at the store. Along with Mark, another child, Kristan, currently owns the store.
Mark said The Sportsman opened on Center Street and since moved three times to bigger buildings to accommodate the store’s growth.
“[Products] have changed over the years, but it’s still unique. The one thread that’s made it unique is that we’ve always had a nice mixture of clothing,” Mark said.
When mark graduated from USU, he said a management opening became available in the store. He decided to work permanently there.
He said he enjoys to travel for and try unique products. The store’s mix and merchandise is definitely different from other stores, he said. Merchandise varies from car racks to leather coats.
Mark also said there’s always an outdoors feel. The store’s main equipment sold now is camping, skiing, snowboarding and bikes. The store also has a wide selection of sports clothing. But, he said, the store’s products generally change with the seasonal sports.
Because of its ties to USU, The Sportsman has often employed USU students and tried to give them flexible schedules.
The Sportsman is now owned by third-generation family members, and has fourth-generation members working there.
“It’s a fun working environment, to be with family and people you know,” said Jenilyn Groutage Fjeldsted, a great-granddaughter of the founder, Jack Croft, and a sophomore studying family and consumer sciences at USU.
Jenilyn, Mark’s niece, also a great-granddaughter of Croft, said her favorite thing about The Sportsman is getting clothing lines from the eastern United States. She said she likes being able to buy clothes that not everyone else will be wearing.
Destiny Iorg, another great-granddaughter of Croft, and a junior studying economics, said she likes to shop at The Sportsman because of “great clothes, great brands, and good quality.”
“Our customer service we take pride in. Trying to be a lot better unique and knowledgeable in what we sell, and very helpful and friendly in trying to help people to get what they want and or need. Service after the sale is very important,” Mark said.
-amysueh@cc.usu.edu