Tom Amodie and George Chiodo have known each other almost their entire lives. The two co-owners of Chestnut Hill Sports, the longstanding sporting goods store at the top of the Hill, originally met at Our Mother of Consolation School when they were in kindergarten. Now, after decades of working side by side, the pair has decided to retire and close Chestnut Hill Sports.

Amodie and Chiodo both began their careers quite early. In the 1970s, the duo worked at a local sporting goods business as teenagers. By 1985, they had opened their own. The first iteration of their business was located in Malvern before moving to a spot on Bethlehem Pike in 1989. In 1995, Amodie and Chiodo settled in their current location at 8628 Germantown Ave. Their inventory roughly doubled during this last move.

For the past 30 years, locals have enjoyed the wide selection of merchandise and equipment for all types of sports available at the store. Customers chose from shelves full of top-tier brands such as Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas. Whether you were looking for a field hockey stick, a tennis racket, or the jersey of the latest star player in Philadelphia, Chestnut Hill Sports had you covered. 

Despite the business still being profitable, Amodie and Chiodo have decided it’s time to hang up their own jerseys. For Amodie, the physical aspects of running the store have gotten more difficult, but it was still a tough decision to make.

“I have mixed feelings,” says Amodie. “We met a lot of nice people and had a lot of good customers, but it’s just time.”

The pair first began thinking about retirement in 2023 and put the building up for sale in late 2024. It has since been sold to Bowman Properties owner Richard Snowden. 

“I believe we have a very exciting use for it,” Snowden said, adding that he’s not yet ready to discuss details. “I will also say that it’s too bad to be losing the store which had been an important fixture in the community. Running it for as long as they did is quite a feat. I wish them both the best.”

Amodie and Chiodo say their official last day is still up in the air. However, they expect Chestnut Hill Sports to be closed by mid-May at the very latest, depending on when they can sell everything in the store. There is currently a sale on plenty of items and locals can expect to see bigger discounts nearer to the closing date.

After 40 years of running a sporting goods store, Amodie and Chiodo say the biggest highlights came when a Philadelphia team made a run in the playoffs or even won a championship. Whether it was the Phillies’ win in 2008 or the Eagles’ win last month, these victories not only brought excitement but also profits.

Yet, as any small business owner can attest, there were also plenty of challenges. Business slowed when Philadelphia teams weren’t doing well and the pandemic also made things difficult. Another problem was the growth of big box stores and online shopping. 

Despite these setbacks, Chestnut Hill Sports still succeeded.

“Not to pat ourselves on the back, but I think to be in business for 40 years with all the big chains and everything…it’s an accomplishment,” says Chiodo.

Heading into retirement, Amodie and Chiodo say they remain uncertain of what their future looks like. Chiodo is considering a possible trip to Italy, but other than that, not having a structured daily routine will feel different for the duo.

“I’ve worked since I was 15, so I’m going to have to find something to do in my retirement,” says Amodie.

Reflecting on their 40-year run, Amodie and Chiodo feel a debt of gratitude for their supportive patrons.

“We want to thank all our customers over the years,” says Chiodo. “There has been a lot of loyalty here.”

If you have an outstanding gift card to Chestnut Hill Sports, Amodie and Chiodo suggest using it by the end of March.