Our History

What is now called Dave's Sports Shop was started in 1957 by Dave's parents, Jude and Gert VanderHoek, in downtown Lynden as "Jude's Sporting Goods & Housewares." The shop was located at 411 Front Street, the current location of Colony House Furniture. Within a couple years, the sporting goods section outgrew the housewares, and "Jude's Sporting Goods" was born. Today the Lynden Pioneer Museum has a replica of the storefront containing many authentic photos and products from Jude's. The shop served local sportsmen in this location for fifteen years, until the first of several expansions.

Jude & Gert VanderHoek, pictured in 1966.

In 1972, the VanderHoeks moved the store the new Fairway Center, and joined the "Coast to Coast Hardware" franchise. The new store at 1712 Front Street (currently Family Christian Bookstore) stocked a full line of hardware in addition to an expanded Sporting Goods line. In 1976, Dave VanderHoek and Dean Hendricks joined in partnership with Jude and Gert. The store operated successfully at this location for another fourteen years, until 1986 when the JC Penny's building at 1736 Front Street became available. Having outgrown their current location, the partners eagerly took on the task of moving and expanding. Coast to Coast served the community's hardware, garden, and sporting needs for fourteen more years, through 1999 when the Coast to Coast corporation underwent a merger resulting a change for the local store to Ace Hardware & Sports.

Through all of these years, the sporting goods section continued to grow, but remained in a small two thousand foot section in the back of the store. Though the space was tight, it quickly became a popular gathering place for local sportspeople.

When the Kooy family decided to build a new section to the Fairway Center, and our nextdoor neighbors at Fairway Drug decided to move to the new building, the time was ripe for expansion, and Dave jumped at the opportunity. After nearly a year of planning and work, the new store at 1738 Front Street is open with 6,300 square feet; more than triple the previous sporting goods section! If you haven't had a chance to visit our new shop, come see the store for yourself! Click here for a map and directions.

Fifty years later, the VanderHoek family and our friendly and knowledgeable team are still serving Whatcom County with Everything for the Outdoors!!!

Our Store

We have just finished relocating into our new expanded 6,300 square foot showfloor. A local crew of family, friends, and professionals worked together to complete a beautiful complete remodel of the old Fairway Drug building, providing all new lighting, flooring, fixtures, painting and more! Many of the components used in this remodel reflect the local and traditional characteristics of the store -- wood beams from a local barn built in the 1800's, local wood used throughout the Rustic Edge Gallery gift shop, several paintings by local artists Bill Swinburnson and Mark Wheeler, and more. If you haven't seen the store for yourself, be sure to check it out soon.

The new store carries an expanded line of all of our previous merchandise, along with a new Rustic Edge Gallery owned and operated by Mel & Anne Fullner, featuring rustic artistry and gifts for the home. We carry a full line of giftware, apparel, archery gear, fishing & hunting gear, hunting and target rifles, handguns, ammunition, camping gear, athletic supplies, and more. For more information on any specific products or sections, please call us at 360.354.5591.