The History and Evolution of Perani’s Hockey World
A Comprehensive Guide
Updated: January 1, 2024 by Bill Burniece
Introduction:
Perani’s Hockey history is really the story of Bob Perani himself.
On this page, I will lay out the entire story of Perani’s Hockey World and how one man went from a young hockey player to a professional and a beloved community icon.
Bob Perani’s focus wasn’t just on hockey. It was on helping others too.
What Is Perani’s Hockey World?
Perani’s Hockey World is a large hockey store that is based in Flint Michigan.
In Flint, they operate their primary retail store and headquarters that house their core operations and main customer service center.
While they have a chain of physical retail stores, they also do a robust e-commerce business selling their hockey equipment online from their website.
They have so much hockey merchandise that they need more than 100,000 square feet of warehouse space to store it all.
This makes Perani’s the largest web-based retailer of hockey equipment on the planet.
Fittingly, they use the tagline “The Toystore For The Hockey Player”.
Perani’s Hockey history starts with Bob himself.
Who Is Bob Perani?
Bob Perani is a former pro ice hockey goalie who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and several minor leagues.
He was born on December 20, 1956, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, United States.
Perani played college hockey at Lake Superior State University before turning pro in 1977.
In the NHL he played for the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues between 1978 and 1982. After leaving the NHL, Perani played in several minor leagues, including the International Hockey League (IHL), the American Hockey League (AHL), and the Central Hockey League (CHL).
After retiring as a player, Perani became a successful businessman and opened his chain of hockey stores – Perani’s Hockey World.
But Bob Perani was involved in things even more important than hockey.
Bob was known for organizing and participating in philanthropic events in the community. He was actively involved in several charitable organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
He also founded the Perani Family Foundation, which provides financial assistance to families with children who are facing medical challenges.
Sadly, Bob Perani passed away on August 2, 2012, at the young age of 55, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
But his legacy continues to live on through his successful business and philanthropic endeavors.
Bob’s generosity touched and improved many lives during his own lifetime.
Bob was a real hero. A great man and hockey player.
Perani’s Hockey History: How It Started
Bob Perani initially opened his first store in Flint, Michigan in 1976, offering a relatively small selection of hockey equipment and related gear.
It was initially called Bob Perani’s Hockey Shop.
As his business quickly grew, he expanded his inventory and opened additional stores in Michigan, Ontario, and New York.
During its growth, Perani’s crossed paths with several future professional hockey players including the great Mike Modano, who bought his first pair of skates from the company’s Lakeland Arena store.
Peranis also briefly employed former All-Star NHL’er Pat Lafontaine when he was a teenager.
In 1980, Bob Perani’s Hockey Shop was given exclusive rights to sell hockey equipment at the IMA Sports Arena. This further expanded his operation.
Today, Perani’s Hockey World has over 20 retail locations throughout North America and an extensive online store.
Perani’s hockey equipment includes an enormous selection of products from top hockey brands, including Bauer, CCM, and Warrior.
Even after its huge growth and success, Perani’s continues to place its customer’s needs as its #1 priority.
And they continue to offer the lowest prices and largest selection on all of their hockey products.
Wrapping It Up
Perani’s Hockey history is an important part of Bob’s legacy.
I believe Bob went into the hockey equipment business for much more than just making money after his career ended.
I think Bob wanted to grow the game that he loved and have the opportunity to share his hockey knowledge and have the means to give back to his community to help others.
That’s who Bob was.
And that’s why I think you should shop at Perani’s Hockey World.
You might also like: Where to find Perani’s coupons
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