SOLO Golf Owners Get Right In The Swing After Shutdown

HINGHAM, MA — For three months Dan and Tessa Sullivan spent a lot of time alone in their Hingham golf apparel store looking forward to that one day they could open the doors to customers eager to get back to the sport they love — and eager to look good doing it.

In the time of social distancing, golf was one of the first sports to get the green light in Massachusetts when Gov. Charlie Baker allowed the reopening of courses on May 7. But it took another six weeks for SOLO Golf to welcome golfers into the store that specializes in providing a modern look on the links.

"Working on opening our shop was a positive distraction in the middle of the health crisis," said Dan Sullivan, who lives in Scituate with his wife and co-owner, Tessa. "It is a challenging time for all, and resuming some sort of normalcy was something to look forward to. We were confident that our time was not wasted, and that as soon as reopening began we were prepared."

Featuring clothes and golf accessories designed in New England and made in America, SOLO Golf apparel opened to the public on June 20 at the Derby Street Shops.

"When our doors opened, it was like a breath of fresh air," Dan Sullivan said. "It has been a healthy relief to get out of the house each day and get back to a schedule."

While the Sullivans were concerned about the state of the business in such an uncertain time, they also had to worry about employees who were just starting out with the brand when everything shut down.

"We took turns carrying the positive morale to the other team members when it was needed," Dan Sullivan said. "Everyone was incredibly understanding and flexible."

Although keeping the positive outlook was key to getting through some of the darker days of the shutdown, there was apprehension for any business owner as opening day neared whether shoppers would return to their old habits in this new world.

Tessa Sullivan said that in the first month since opening her optimism has been rewarded.

"Business has been going really well and steadily increasing by the day," she said. "Everyone is very well-versed of the guidelines so we haven't had to do much policing on our end. We are so grateful for the opportunity to be showcasing our brand to the South Shore community and feel blessed to have had the support we have gotten thus far."

The store is now open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

The hope is the support and growth will continue over the next few months as golfers look to make up for time lost on the links earlier in the spring.

"We are a young brand with the platform to showcase our work in a unique way, so naturally we have a positive outlook on the summer and future months," Tessa Sullivan said. "Our customers desire to embrace their personal style on and off the course. As long as that continues, we will be in a good place."

While test-positive rates across the state low compared to surges seen across the county, the anticipation is that will lead to further easing of restrictions on retail in the coming weeks and months.

“We hope the state and town continue to progress in the right direction and we can continue to improve upon our store offering, events and culture,” Dan Sullivan said.

Patch is looking to tell the stories of local businesses being innovative and battling to make it through during the coronavirus health crisis. If you would like your business profiled, contact Scott Souza at scott.souza@patch.com.