A discounted sports gear store is coming to Bluffton. Here’s when it opens
Just in time for summer tryouts and soccer camps, Lowcountry families have a new MVP in town when it comes to finding affordable sports gear.
Couple Jason and Kayla Mattingly, longtime South Carolina residents and parents of three, are opening the area’s first Play It Again Sports, a resale franchise that helps families buy and sell gently used sports and fitness equipment.
“Sports have always been a big part of our lives, and now we’re seeing how much they’re shaping our kids by teaching them teamwork, confidence and resilience,” Jason said in a statement about the grand opening. “It means a lot to us to help other families find quality gear at a great value, so all kids have access to youth sports.”
The grand opening is set for Thursday, May 15, at the store at 1202-B Fording Island Road. This new location is right next door to the sister franchise Once Upon A Child, which opened in March between Centre Drive and a BMW dealership.
As parents, the Mattinglys understand firsthand how fast kids can outgrow equipment and how costly it can be to keep up. With a combined background in retail, construction and athletics, the pair knows how much work goes into raising kids and the importance of athletic enrichment.
That’s part of what inspired them to open a store that makes quality gear more accessible while also supporting sustainability.
Now, two years later, their dreams have come into formation.
The Mattinglys, who first met in 2015 while working at a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Columbia, bring a unique mix of retail experience and athletic know-how to their new venture.
Jason, a Lowcountry native and graduate of Bluffton High School, worked in HVAC while Kayla, from Columbia, coached lacrosse at the high school and youth levels.
After relocating to Bluffton, the couple is bringing a sustainable option for families and athletes searching for sports gear.
What will Play It Again Sports offer?
To meet the needs of the community, the store will carry a wide range of new and used equipment for athletes of all ages. Gear options will include everything from fitness equipment to team and individual sports equipment and more.
The franchise also pays customers on the spot in exchange for items the store can resell.
Steering away from traditional consignment shops, the store pays customers on the spot for gear it accepts, making it a convenient way to recycle lightly used equipment and keeping it out of landfills.
The newest addition of the Bluffton store joins nearly 300 other Play It Again Sports locations across the U.S. and Canada.
Other branches of their franchise include Plato’s Closet, Once Upon A Child, Style Encore, and Music Go Round. Roughly 1,350 franchises operate across the country.
The Lowcountry is home to another Winmark franchise, Once Upon A Child, which opened in March 2025.
Play It Again Sports to feature giveaways, prizes for opening weekend
This grand opening is promising a weekend full of giveaways, food and appearances by professional baseball players.
Here’s what visitors can expect each day:
Thursday, May 15: First 25 customers get a $25 gift card and lunch from Downtown Deli starting at 1 p.m. Meet baseball player Dalton Cornett and others. Visitors can also enter to win a Memorial Day edition Yeti cooler.
Friday, May 16: Prize drawings for premium bats and a free Play It Again Sports water bottle for qualifying purchases.
Saturday, May 17: Try a portable golf simulator and enter to win a Cleveland golf prize pack.
Sunday, May 18: Double rewards points and a chance to win a free one-week sports training camp.
Customers spending $75 or more daily will receive bounce-back coupons for future purchases.
For more information about Play It Again Sports in Bluffton, visit their website or Facebook page.
