Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 16, 1995                   TAG: 9511160014
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SOCCER IS MUCH MORE THAN BUSINESS FOR DANNY BEAMER

As executive director of the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club, Beamer works in his office about five hours a day. He personally coaches two of the club's 20-plus teams during the afternoon, and he often attends board and committee meetings at night.

In his spare time, Beamer owns and operates a retail shop, The Soccer Stop, which moved to larger quarters on Franklin Road last month.

"I stop by the store for about an hour every afternoon before practice," Beamer said. The store is open at various hours seven days a week.

How does Beamer maintain a successful business when most struggling retailers devote 50, 60 or more hours a week to it?

"It's all a blur," said Beamer, from his Star office at Starkey Road and Virginia 419.

"It helps that I have a very good manager at the store. Betsy [McMichael] is very dependable. She treats it like it's her own."

Beamer opened The Soccer Stop in November 1989 with Grayson Prillaman, a former Star and Roanoke College soccer player. Beamer bought out Prillaman in 1991.

"When we first opened, people thought it would be a conflict of interest," Beamer said, "but it's been totally the opposite."

The Soccer Stop has been an extension of the club. Our employees are pretty knowledgeable [about Star activities], and parents and players can drop off and pick up materials.

"In the new store, we'll have a mailbox for every team manager."

Beamer said that the Star formerly rented a storage unit in Hunting Hills for items such as coolers, nets, paint machines and corner flags. That equipment is now stored at The Soccer Stop.

Six Star players, a team manager, and a Roanoke College assistant coach are among Beamer's employees.

Without disclosing specific sales figures, Beamer said, "we've grown every year, and we're the only soccer specialty store in the area. The next closest would be in Greensboro, and then Richmond, and then northern Virginia."

The Soccer Stop also touts an 800 number to accommodate out-of-town orders.

Beamer hails from Greensboro. Because of his reputation as a winning soccer coach even as a teen-ager, Beamer, who finished high school in 1981, was lured to Roanoke to head up the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club in 1986. He completed his college degree at Roanoke College in 1989.

"I don't see any problem with overseeing a nonprofit organization and running a business on the side," he said. "People in business do it all the time."

Beamer said that the Star purchases its uniforms as a group, earning the lowest prices available. "We also offer a 10-percent

discount to any Star member on individual purchases," he said.

"But every kid in the club doesn't buy everything from us."

Beamer said that the Star accounts for "at least 40 percent" of The Soccer Stop's volume, "but we also do a lot of recreational, high school and college business."

A pair of soccer shoes, for instance, can range from $20 to $130. "The kids who are the most serious about soccer, spend the most money on equipment," Beamer said.

He said that his peripheral knowledge has helped the business thrive. "I go to all the national conventions and clinics," Beamer said. "I know what's going on."