Since November 1994, Bison Dealer Salvador Colom, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has had a strong working relationship with Bison. However, Colom’s relationship with sports goes back further than that.
In 1951 his father, Salvador, created Deportes Salvador Colom, a sporting goods company in Puerto Rico. But sports weren’t just a part of the family business. Colom also played baseball in high school. He attended Boston College where he played the saxophone in the marching and pep bands, giving him a front-row seat to every football, basketball and hockey game. He was drawn to the excitement of the games and much more.
After graduating in 1968, he turned sports into a career by joining the family business. Deportes Salvador Colom became the largest sporting goods retail chain in Puerto Rico with 12 stores before they sold the retail locations to Champs Sports in 1991.
A lot has changed in the years that followed, but their commitment to their customers and vendors has remained the same. After the sale of retail locations, Deportes Salvador Colom expanded its wholesale and team business. The company sells and distributes products to independent sporting good dealers. Its customer base also includes school, park and rec, government agencies, leagues, clubs and team businesses.
In 2013, as a result of their continued growth, they purchased their main competitor in the wholesale and distribution channels.
In 2020, they remodeled their sole retail store location – a 4,000 square foot section of their warehouse, rebranded, and established an online presence. Retail sales represents 30 percent of Deportes Salvador Colom sales. They now employ 30 full-time and 2 part-time employees.
Bison Sales Manager Chris Livingston says Colom and his team are doing an amazing job promoting Bison in Puerto Rico. “Deportes Salvador Colom has been a great partner for Bison since I started nearly 25 years ago and even prior to that time,” Livingston said. “Salvador and his staff are so knowledgeable that it makes it very easy to work with them. I look forward to our continued success together in the years to come.”
Colom says he loves working with Bison. “They have excellent people, excellent prices, and excellent customer service.”
He has nothing but good things to say about Bison staff, especially Kelly Bouwens, Product Specialist, and Livingston.
“We have seen an increase in Bison business and the shipping has been great,” Colom said. “Chris mentioned he’d like to visit us here in Puerto Rico and that would be great!”