New Business Finally Coming to Former Bob’s Sea and Ski Location on Pope’s Island

For decades, Bob's Sea and Ski was a fixture on Pope's Island in New Bedford. The ski and scuba gear retail store was owned and operated by Bob Mercer.

Bob was there 28 years until he grew tired of battling the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge, threw in the towel and moved his business to Fairhaven. He's now located next to Baycoast Bank on Alden Road.

Bob's Sea and Ski vacated the storefront six years ago this month. Since the move, that space on Pope's Island has sat dormant.

Until now.

Fun 107 has learned that a sporting goods store is taking over the space and is gearing up to open to the public in the coming weeks. The store will be named Whaling City Sporting Goods, and the grand opening is slated for Saturday, Oct. 15.

Whaling City Sporting Goods will be a store where you can shop for sports equipment for a variety of sports such as hockey, lacrosse, softball, baseball, field hockey and water sports.

As they await the arrival of their inventory and begin to set the stage in the store, Whaling City has already fired up its skate-sharpening machine and is offering the service.

In addition to sporting goods, Whaling City Sporting Goods will have screen printing available for teams or any groups. It will also have the ability to embroider things such as team jackets.

The only other sporting goods store similar to what Whaling City Sporting Goods is expected to offer is the legendary Corner Sports store across from New Bedford High School. That hockey shop has been there forever, but it is in a completely different part of town than Pope's Island.

Being located so close to the New Bedford line will enable the new store to cater to Fairhaven and the Tri-Town area as well.