Body, Not Budget, Stretchers

“There must be someplace that sells used exercise equipment,” the weary caller said. Yes, Virginia, there are several places that do just that, and all are either in the San Fernando Valley or nearby.

Play It Again Sports buys, trades or consigns exercise and sporting equipment of all kinds. In the Studio City store, owner Bill Thorn has popular shape-up products such as a Weslo stationary bike, model Aero #750, for $64.99 ($200 new) and a manual treadmill by NordicTrack.

“The manual models are not as popular,” says Thorn, “but they get the job done better.” The treadmill new costs $499, but used it’s $149.

In Northridge, Play It Again Sports owner Mike Zabarsky likes the VersaClimber, a stepper that requires working the arms as well as the legs. A model that is 8 months old and in perfect condition sold new for $600; Zabarsky’s price is $300. For just a simple stationary bicycle, there’s the Tunturi Ergometer that was $200 and is now marked $79.99.

Play It Again Sports is a franchise whose parent company, Grow Biz of Minneapolis, gives the franchisees access to volume buying on new equipment, but the individual owner is responsible for used items that come into each store.

Dave Raulin runs the Ventura store and when I checked, he had a Cardio-Glide selling for $54.99. New it was $180. A used ProCor (new for $200) was a good deal at $69.99.

In Agoura Hills, Dave Marks’ Play It Again Sports had some good buys in an electric Pro-Form for $169 (new $400) and the NordicTrack Ski Simulator for $199 that new was $399.

Tom Cook is spreading his sports empire from Glendale out to Monrovia and Rosemead. In Glendale he was offering a Health Rider electric treadmill that is only 5 months old for $549, instead of the $899 original price. A stationary bike by Life Cycle, fully computerized with all the bells and whistles, originally commanded a $1,200 price. Slightly used, it’s $249.99.

And so it goes. Chances are that whatever you think you want is probably in one of these stores, cast off by a wannabe workout guy or gal who didn’t wannabe hard enough. After all, maybe you won’t stick to it either, so why go full bore and buy new at full price?

* Play it Again Sports, 12038 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 752-9123; 8947 Tampa Ave., Northridge, (818) 701-7056; 4705 Telephone Road, Ventura, (805) 644-4948; 30317 Canwood St., Agoura Hills, (818) 879-5083; 105 N. Central Ave., Glendale, (818) 553-0940.

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Weekend Super Sale

I always look for sales at either high-end shops or at stores where a quality product is regularly discounted. At Sara’s, where good quality and interesting European-type designs are always a cut above in style and several cuts below in price, there is a house-cleaning going on through Saturday. You can deduct another 50% off everything in the store, which includes accessories (check the hats!) and costume jewelry.

* Sara’s, 10216 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake. (818) 755-9070.