Princeton Sports to Close After Nearly 90 Years of Business

February 3, 2025 JMORE Staff

Yet another longtime local Jewish family-owned business is departing from the retail landscape.

After nearly nine decades, Princeton Sports has announced it will close its doors, citing the rise of online shopping and competition from suppliers as major obstacles.

In a statement, co-owner Paul Davis said he and his brother, Alan, plan to retire from the outdoor sports and recreation business, which was founded in 1936 by their grandparents, Samuel and Lucille Davis.

The statement said the Princeton Sports location of nearly 50 years, at 6239 Falls Road in Mount Washington, will be sold. The store’s inventory, fixtures and equipment will be liquidated through a retirement closing sale starting this Saturday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m.

The sale will offer premier brands in skiing, snowboarding, biking, tennis, swimming and fitness at discounted prices.

“This is the end of an extraordinary chapter in our family’s history,” said Paul Davis. “For nearly 90 years, our family has been able to sell fun to the Baltimore community. However, the retail landscape has changed dramatically over the years, people’s buying habits have changed, making it difficult to operate in the way we once loved.”

Samuel and Lucille Davis were the founders of the Princeton Cycle Co. in 1936 in the Park Circle neighborhood of Baltimore.

Samuel and Lucille Davis founded the business – named after their previous hometown, Princeton, New Jersey — when renting bicycles for a nickel a day in Baltimore’s Park Circle neighborhood. Back then, it was known as the Princeton Cycle Co. and primarily served bicyclists in the Druid Hill and Clifton parks.

Known for its personalized service, the company grew over the years, and the Davises’ son, “Sonny” Bernard Davis, joined Princeton in 1963, introducing skiing gear to the product lineup and expanding to a second location in Columbia in 1981. That operation closed in March of 2018.

In their statement, the Davis brothers thanked their employees for the success of the business.

“Our employees have always been more than just staff — they’ve been the backbone of this business,” said Alan Davis. “Their passion, expertise and unwavering commitment to our customers have made Princeton Sports a trusted destination for generations. Many of them have built lifelong relationships with families who have come to us year after year, generation after generation.”

Paul Davis also thanked Princeton’s loyal customer base for its patronage over the years.

“We’ve had the privilege of watching customers grow up and bring their own children and grandchildren through our doors,” he said. “These relationships have been the heart of our business and what has made this journey so rewarding. …

“The joy we found in helping our customers — whether it was finding the perfect bike or setting up the kids for the Saturday ski trips — has been what fueled us for so many years,” he said. “But the industry has changed, and it’s no longer the same experience for us or our customers.”

For information about the Retirement Store Closing Sale, visit princetonsports.com/.