Spotlight Q&A: Rick Walsh
Catching up with Michael Lynne’s longtime supplier and friend
Rick Walsh is a lifelong tennis player. A former college player and coach, Walsh has spent the last 16 years working in the tennis industry. Currently, he works as a Territory Sales Manager for Wilson Sports in the racquet sports division, and is a supplier and friend of Michael Lynne’s. We recently sat down with him to talk about the game and his long-standing relationship with the shop.
Do you still play tennis often?
I try to play as much tennis as I can; I do enjoy it a lot. I try to play in some leagues and an occasional tournament here and there. I recently started to play pickleball, just because there’s only so much time in the day.
Why did you start working with Michael and Mimzy?
The why is simple. They were part of my territory and they're one of the largest tennis specific retailers in the Midwest, so they’re a very important account with Wilson and for the Wilson brand.
I was really blessed to be able to become part of Wilson and also to basically inherit doing business with Michael and Mimzy. Over the course of the last six years, I felt like we have developed an incredible relationship. Not only are they my top customers, but I consider them very good friends. I speak to Mike every single day of the week.
Why is Michael Lynne’s a great place to shop?
The Michael Lynne’s team treat their customers like their best friends and family. They listen to them, they find out what they need or what they want, and they try to help them and do it the right way. They’re not just trying to turn over products and make a quick buck. They really have the heart and mind of the customer in mind when they’re helping them. They want to earn the respect and earn the business of their customers.
What sets Michael Lynne apart from other stores?
The staff is very knowledgeable, everybody in that store knows the products, the stringers are amazing stringers, and their part-time staff understand the differences in the brands and the products.
One of the most important things they do differently than a lot of other stores is they have the inventory. Most customers today don't want to order something while they're in the store and then have to come back a week later or five days later. They want it when they're in the store, and Mike and Mimzy realized that, and they have really invested heavily in inventory. They’re really one of the few retail specialty stores that I deal with that really believe in heavy inventory to satisfy their customer needs.
Anything else you want to add?
Michael Lynne’s is customer service driven, I mean they’re open seven days a week and are there all the time. I don’t know anybody who works as hard as Mike and Mimzy.