Wednesday, May 20, 2009

WAGLE SPORTS IS IN GRAVE DANGER TODAY !

We have been in our premises for over 144 years. The Building in which the premises are situated has been bought by a Builder / Developer around 15 years ago. He is proposing to redevelop the Building. While we are in agreement in principle with the redevelopment we seek proper plans and a registered agreement before surrendering our premises. The Developer has been after us for the last 6 months, to surrender our premises without entering into an agreement with us giving us our rightful area in a suitable location in the proposed building. Initially he tore off the roof of the Third Floor of our Building (which is in his possession ) to scare us and the other 2 major occupants of our Building - 2 residential Goan Christian Clubs occupying the 1st and 2nd floor of our Building. He thus scared the Clubs into signing their consent letters. He has now isolated us and is using all means to coerce us into signing our consent. On 14th April, 2009, he blocked access to our premises and wouldn't allow us to open our main door. He dumped rubbish outside our door and stationed goons who wouldn't allow us to remove the obstruction. I'm attaching a photograph clicked on a cell phone of the obstruction. Then on the 17th & 18th of April, 2009, he punctured holes in our ceiling and poured water into our premises ruining stock worth lakhs of rupees.


















Not only this, he has deliberately knocked off the ceiling and walls of the third floor of our Building and kept it exposed to the vagaries of the weather knowing fully well that the Monsoons are fast approaching and the rain water will penetrate all the way to the Ground Floor. MHADA, Municipality and the Police are washing their hands off the affair saying there is very little they can do. It's really shocking how they can take an attitude like this where a Developer is threatening not only the property of the occupants on the lower floors but also possibly the lives of the occupants. While the Building is otherwise solid ( it has walls which are 2 feet thick ), if the floors are exposed directly to the onslaught of the Monsoon, there is every possibility of the Building collapsing.


Wagle & Co. is India's First Sports Shop - established in 1865. It has been run by four generations of the Wagle family. Its clientele also comprises a number of families that have patronised it for generations.

Our business was established by the late Mr. Raghunath G. Wagle in the year 1865. Earlier, he used to run a perfumery business from the same premises. In those days, the British troops were garrisoned close to our establishment. The officers had their quarters close to Crawford Market and their troops were barracked close to Marine Lines Station ( in fact it is due to the troops barracks that the area got its name : Marine Lines ). Some British Officers befriended Mr. R. G. Wagle. In those days, it took over six months for goods to reach India from England, so the officers encouraged Mr. Wagle to start stocking Sports Goods. As time went by, the business flourished and expanded so much that the British troops would procure from Wagle & Co. wherever they were posted. There was a time when we executed Orders for Sports Goods from Aden in the West to Singapore in the East.

Our primary aim and concern has always been that we should cater to the sporting needs of every sportsman that enters our premise. Hence we carry all kinds of rare sports equipment - even if some items sell once in 6 months. Our aim is to cater to all sportsmen and their Sporting needs!

Over the decades we have gathered such a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of Sports, that today you can approach us with any query regarding any Sport and be assured that your issue will be resolved.

One reason why our clients value our establishment is that you can always be sure of honest advice. We never try to maximise our profits by coaxing our customers to buy high - end products when they are not suitable for them. Scrupulous and honest business practices are what endear us to our clients.

We are situated at one end of a circle opposite Metro Cinema that houses the Sports Market of Mumbai - all built around us. When a sportsman starts enquiring with stores in the centre of the circle for a rare sports article like a Horse Polo Stick or an Olympic Torch, he invariably gets guided to our establishment.

He enters our establishment with little hope and when we respond positively to his query the joy that lights his face is our primary reward!