Unique golf shop to open on Phillips Avenue

Opening day arrives Friday for a new Phillips Avenue business with a unique niche in the golf industry.

Robert Weinmeier and Cindy Gloe-Weinmeier are opening Nevr Looz at 317 S. Phillips Ave., directly across from the State Theatre.

They opened the company in 2016 selling a product he invented — the Nevr Looz Pro Clip golf bag — mainly online. It now has expanded to five bag styles, including a luxury leather, 18-pocket nylon utility bag, a leather carry bag with leg stand and a limited-edition series featuring high-end carts. Bags can be customized with colors and logos.

The business also sells a unique golf club head cover that has a magnetic tab, “so you can can stick it to your irons, so you ‘nevr looz’ your head cover again,” Weinmeier explained.

Weinmeier spent his career as a civil engineer in Los Angeles with high-profile clients, including the Hilton family and the Getty Museum.

But he has played golf “ever since I can remember,” he said, adding that he got serious about it after high school and played in mini tours on the West Coast, as well as numerous PGA qualifying tournaments and a celebrity tour.

Owning a small firm “allowed me the opportunity to play and also spend time inventing various products,” he said.

“You could say I have the yin and yang in that I love the exactness of engineering but am super-creative and love the idea behind the products.”

He finally realized there had to be a better way to organize clubs, and his mind went to an individual clip system, like filing papers in a folder. The bag is designed to secure, organize and protect clubs from head to grip. It features customizable clips that can adjust to fit any club setup and strategically placed pockets for easy access to gear.

“Since every golfer has either left or lost a club, we came up with the name Nevr Looz. Never lose a club again,” Weinmeier said. “Thus, the company was born.”

He also has taught golf for more than 25 years and is in the process of creating a YouTube channel that will include a “golf makeover reality show” he’s working on. That’s how he met his future wife, Cindy.

“At her first golf lesson with me, I asked her what she does, and she said she makes golf club head covers,” he said. “I said, ‘I am creating a golf bag.’ And I never thought I would meet anyone who loves golf more than me. Besides being super-creative, we both are super-passionate about golf, so we say it was love at first swing.”

She grew up in Sioux Falls and wanted to be closer to family, “and I wanted the company to be located in the middle of the U.S. to reduce our direct-to-consumer shipping cost,” he said. “So we killed two birds with one stone and moved here last year from Florida, and we are both happy.”

They leased the space for Nevr Looz last year but family circumstances and relocating the company meant he wasn’t ready to open the storefront until now.

“We always wanted a showroom of some kind, and the opportunity arose with some of our friends who happened to own some real estate,” he said. “We mentioned to them we might be interested in opening a little store, and a few months later, they called and said they have a vacancy. The next thing we know, we have a storefront on Phillips Avenue in the heart of downtown. We feel so lucky to have the spot.”

It serves as a showroom for their products but also for Cindy’s handcrafted accessories.

“She handcrafts very unique golf club head covers, booties for kids and adults and beanie hats,” Weinmeier said. “She also plans to display her artwork, along with unique golf cards, jewelry and some clothing. Her mother was an accomplished artist in Sioux Falls, so we know where she gets her talent from.”

The goal is “obviously not to be like a typical big-box golf chain store,” he continued. “Like our golf bag, our merchandise is unique. Most items are one of a kind. We also carry handcrafted items by a few local artisans.”

He’s connected to the entrepreneur community and an e-commerce group at Startup Sioux and said he’s open to selling golf-related products from others.

Additionally, Nevr Looz is working with Nordica Warehouse as its fulfillment center.

“They assemble and ship here in Sioux Falls,” Weinmeier said. “Due to their experience, size and capabilities, they are instrumental and will allow us to scale.”

Nevr Looz mainly sells online but has expanded to some pro shops and driving ranges in five states, as well as pursuing retail business. The products also are in 2nd Swing stores, which sell used clubs in five states.

The downtown Sioux Falls store is looking for part-time help. Those interested are encouraged to stop in, Weinmeier said.

“We are excited to be part of Sioux Falls’ downtown and look forward to meeting all the local golfers,” he said.

To start, hours for Nevr Looz will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

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