
Twenty years ago, the owner of County Sports, Myron Hale, thought that it would be fun to own his own business and despite the ups and downs that every business experiences, he was right.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Owner Myron Hale, left, and Dave Moreau, right, have been working together at County Sports for over 20 years. Amy McGillin, absent from the photo, has also been working at County Sports for 20 years. “I thought it was going to be fun, and it is,” Hale said. He purchased the business in 1990 from Reggie Thibodeau and the building has grown significantly since Hale’s been at the helm. County Sports sells snowmobiles, ATVs, Victory motorcycles, and their corresponding equipment and accessories, and Hale is at the counter six days a week personally ensuring customer satisfaction.
Customer relations is one area where Hale excels, and the proof is in the loyal customers who keep coming back, particularly every morning when on any given day around 10 people gather at 6 a.m. “to tell each other lies,” Hale said with a laugh.
With a high percentage of excellent customers, Hale has made a lot of good friends through the years.
Like any industry, the snowmobile/ATV business has changed over the years to accommodate the needs of the individual.
“Back when I came into the business in 1990, regular snowmobiles were just a carbureted snowmobile,” Hale remembered. “They’ve evolved as time’s gone on into being fuel-injected to direct-injected sleds, and they have four-stroke engines now, which means that you can just change the oil and filter once a year.”
He also added that the machines have gone from 40 horsepower to 150 horsepower, and the suspension has changed tremendously from 5 inches to 13 or 14 inches, which makes for a much smoother, more comfortable snowmobile ride.
“Snowmobiles and ATVs have a lot more creature comforts now,” Hale said. Hand warmers, larger windshields, electric starts, reverse — if there was a market for various accessories, the industries have adapted.
“Whatever it takes is whatever they offer,” he added. “They’ve offered a lot more creature comforts over the years.”
And 20 years has gone by quickly for Hale.
“It’s kind of like our lives,” he said, “it goes by fast and you don’t even notice it.”
Despite working six days a week at County Sports, Hale still occasionally finds time to grab his sled and hit the trails on mild days.
Snowmobiling, biking, and ATVing are, in fact, hobbies and like his customers, he enjoys the adventures when he can.