Shane MacDonald, owner of sporting supply business, Sportszone, feels right at home in Engadine, with the community feel of the area reminding him of his early childhood in Adelaide.
Shane says he has strong memories of his local community in Adelaide and the spirit of the people that live there. Engadine, for Shane, has many similarities so, when the opportunity arose to purchase the business from the previous owner 12 months ago, he didn’t hesitate.
Shane’s background is engineering, a trade he learnt through 12 years of service in the Navy, and one he turned to when he left. However, his engineering business meant he had to travel and after his years at sea, travelling was something he wanted to do less of. A local, community business was the perfect fit for Shane’s lifestyle.
Despite his love of sport, supplying sporting equipment to the local community wasn’t necessarily a business he was chasing. However, he says he gained one immediate advantage when he purchased the business – he could have Foxtel connected at his store.
He jokes how his wife will not allow him to have Foxtel connected at home until he finishes renovating the house but by purchasing a sports store, he can now have Foxtel connected, although it probably means he has the most expensive Foxtel connection in Australia!
Juggling two businesses and a young family hasn’t been easy and Shane and his wife agreed that they would always make sure that family came first, with everything else second. Shane says it means that they take an almost business approach to the way they organise their time between family and work.
Shane attributes John Williams and Jim Gray as being the most influential in helping him conduct business. With their knowledge, Shane is embarking on a community-based business concept, with an eye to possibly franchising the model he has set up with Sportszone.
Shane and his family have lived in the Shire for 5 years and see the many improvements council are trying to make to help local businesses. However, Shane feels that more effort should be made to create bigger and better sporting facilities in area, particularly considering the active nature of the Shire.
When he’s not working Shane likes to spend time with his family. When he gets the chance he likes to fish, read or exercise by going mountain bike riding. Having a sports store means close connections with the schools and sporting clubs and Shane and his wife volunteer much of their time helping the various groups organise functions and activities in order to keep them viable and provide place for kids to learn and play.
Shop 4, Appian Corner
Old Princes Hwy
Enagdine 2233
Ph: 9520 5527
Fax: 9520 5528 | 
