Viva Sports’ Perspective
Brief History
Viva Sports came into existence in 1957, when Souheil Sinno decided to open a new sports shop in Hamra. Souheil Sinno had learned much about the retail business from his father, Mounir Salim Sinno, who had owned a casual goods outlet in Souk Abu Nasser in Beirut Downtown selling German imported products. The goal, he said, is to keep the store a shopping des
tination in Jeanne D’arc Street that he describes as the “best collegiate market in the country.” I thank AUB students for supporting my store for generations. Our loyal customers allow us to keep pace with the large chain stores and carry the latest styles from the top brands they love. We strive to give our customers top products and personal service that they won't find anywhere else. At Viva Sports, our customers are not just a face; they are part of our family. ” he added. Successful Strategy
Viva Sports has always been operated at the same location since its establishment in 1957. In 1970 a major expansion took place after acquiring an additional area of exceeding 500 m2 to display new lines of brand names equipment, clothing and shoes for competitive sports, physical fitness training, and outdoor recreational activities such as camping, hunting, fishing, and boating. Included among its brand names are Champion, Adidas, Puma, Nike, Rebook, Tigre, Converse, Kettler, Uvex, Speedo, Spalding, Dunlop, Head, Slazenger, Lacoste, Fred Berry, Donnay, Penn, Rossiniol, Levi’s, Lee, and Wrangler. At that time Viva Sports also acquired a large warehouse located at 20 meters from its main branch for effective inventory control and distribution in order to accommodate the store growth. Fixed Price Policy
While there are retailers in the market who sell lower quality goods at discount prices, and those who sell the absolute top of the line equipment and products at premium prices, Viva Sports was striving to consistently offer the best products at reasonable prices applying a Fixed Price Policy. In conjunction with price and quality, Viva Sports stresses service. Its strategy was to have knowledgeable and friendly salespeople assisting customers. Geographical Expansion
By 1975, Viva Sports had grown and began a period of more rapid expansion geographically and in its core business by opening a new branch in Sannine to better serve its customers during the winter season allowing every athlete to practice the winter sports activities by buying or renting Skis and boots. This concept was much appreciated by the ski lovers who could not afford to buy ski equipment. The smart responses to market needs helped Viva Sports’ growth and expansion. However the new branch had to close soon after the civil war reached that area! Managerial Changes
In 1990, Mazen Sinno, the founder's son, joined Viva Sports on a full-time basis. By that time his father, aged 65, had built Viva Sports into a solid sports retail shop and was ready to turn control of the business over to his 21-year-old son. Mazen initially helped his father from time to time in marketing related issues, but in the following year he succeeded his father in the entire operation. Mazen believed in giving the customer quality products at a fair price with great customer service before, during, and after the sale. He also believed in helping to educate the customer in making the right purchasing decision. He gained the experience from his father who accompanied and introduce him to the renowned international sports fairs and exhibitions in Europe mainly “ISPO” in Munich. He also had the knowledge and resources needed to make sure that all customers had their needs met. New Directions
Mazen’s formal education indicated that his career plans would take him in some other direction. He completed his first year in law at the Lebanese University before taking over his new responsibilities. Yet he has found the business fascinating and decided to make it his career. He was controlling one of the biggest sports shops in the country. His father Souheil has continued to handle some of the shop work and remains the chief of store operations, but he prefers to remain in the background, giving his son Mazen a free hand. He deferred to Mazen's decision to change the sales strategy. This has been both an important and successful change. It is, in fact, the variety and range of merchandise that makes Viva Sports unique. His strategy has been to provide "one-stop shopping" for all family members, including women and children. This has proved to be a very successful strategy, especially in light of the fact that sales of women's sportswear and shoes surged upward during the 1990s. Just as important, Viva Sports stocks its outlet with much more than the standard equipment that typical sports equipment stores sell to make sure that the outlet maintains a full stock. Its merchandising efficiency, range and quality of merchandise have helped ensure Viva Sports’ great success. This has managed to keep its prices competitive through an effective control of inventory and distribution. Through the accurate monitoring of sales and efficient inventory control, Viva Sports could restock depleted items within a day or two. As soon as the store sells an item, its replacement is ordered and virtually on its way. The Legacy Continues
Mazen made streamlining the shop image his first priority. He completely discontinued the sale of many goods, responding to market changes reflecting new tastes and lifestyles. In the 1990s the Viva Sports’ new management completed the changeover into an outlet offering a wide and competitively priced range of brand name, top quality sporting goods and clothing creating the company image that it has since retained. Under Mazen's tutelage, Viva Sports began its continuing growth cycle. But its success also raised new possibilities. In the mid-1990s Viva Sports began an impressive sales record, with yearly increases in revenue matched with stable margins and excellent cash flow. Through surveys of his customers, Mazen realized that the great majority of them were men. To encourage women to shop at Viva Sports, he introduced lines of women's sports clothing and aerobic wear. It was a wise policy move, for within a few years women would account for 50 percent of Viva Sports’ shoppers. Inspired in part by a building awareness of the importance of personal health and fitness, consumers began looking to fill their leisure time with participation in sports. While consumers continued to play traditional sports, new sports categories and their supporting products had appeared, thanks to booms in jogging, aerobics, and general fitness. Viva Sports quickly became a regional center for the new wave of amateur athletes. Future Plans
Viva Sports has plans for reviving. It should remain an ongoing success story for a long time. Mazen who revealed he hopes to carry on his father’s legacy has stated that Viva sports will come back in the near future. "We have established an excellent business relationship and good reputation in the market and we will benefit from this very soon. I will take over the business and I just wanted to remind people that they will shop at Viva Sports soon. I want to try to carry on my dad’s legacy, although I don't think I will ever be able to follow in his footsteps. This is both a difficult and easy decision at the same time for me. My dad opened the business even before I was born. I was as young as a grasshopper when my dad used to take me into the shop in a pram and I used to work there on a Saturday when I was growing up so it has been part of my life. I know it won’t be easy but I hope to make a success of it. The support I have had from the family concerning the reopening of Viva Sports has been a huge help to me. ” What Mazen hopes shoppers see now at Viva Sports is a store that still has a special feel, but “with his incredible energy and current ideas.” He confirmed “You can always make something new, but some things you’ll never be able to recreate, so you’d better hold onto them. The future of Viva Sports will look very bright because the principles that the business was founded on over 50 years ago are still alive today. We look forward to the next 50 years. We’ve got the Gear!” Mazen concluded.
