About Us
NorthLine Sports is a new store that was created with the merger of Boardsports (Est. 1972) and Sport Swap (Est. 1974) under one roof at 109 Vanderhoof Avenue, Toronto. NorthLine Specializes in Ski, Snowboard, Bike, Wakeboard, Waterski, Windsurf, Kiteboard, Wingfoil, Surf and Skate.
BOARDSPORTS was started in 1972 by John Boothroyd in a Toronto garage as Wind Promotions, a 100% core windsurfing business. We eventually found a proper store in the Beach area on Queen Street East. Then in 1996 we moved to Yonge Street where we spent the next 20 years! The store was renamed BOARDSPORTS to reflect the broadening focus on all board sports: snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding, surfing, kiteboarding and more recently Stand-Up Paddle Boarding. In 2015 we needed more space and moved to a 4600 sqft store at 105 Vanderhoof Ave in Leaside Toronto.
SPORT SWAP was started in 1974 by Barry Near. It has been an an institution for generations of Toronto families for skis and bikes for both new and used. The Halfback program for new and used junior equipment is a well-established favourite among customers, who can always depend on Sport Swap to outfit their kids with both comfort and value in mind. Specializing in high quality service. In 2007, Barry sold Sport Swap to Alan Chow. Alan moved the business from Yonge Street to Bayview, and continued to provide families with exceptional value and service. In 2021 Steve Martin (Boardsports owner) purchased Sport Swap and Alan moved to Kelowna and is now enjoying lots of days skiing and mountain biking.
Nowadays, NorthLine, Boardsports, and Sport Swap are owned and operated by Steve Martin. Steve started with Wind Promotions back in 1995 as a summer employee. In 2003, after working a handful of years as an Engineer, Steve's passion for boarding brought him back to rejoin the Boardsports crew. Steve is a windsurfer (39 years), snowboarder (24 years). kiteboarder (22 years), Stand-Up Paddler (15 years), Foiler, Longboarder, and an enthusiastic (but struggling) Surfer.
Along with Steve, we have a key group of awesome managers that are all dedicated riders. And we have been fortunate to attract amazing staff that are professionals at advising customers in finding the perfect gear. Our motto is Expert Advice for Maximum Fun. Whether its gear, travel, or technique, let our experts help you maximize your riding fun.
Thank you for supporting our shop!
Steve, Brooke, Mac, Cam, Vlad, Devin and the rest of the NorthLine Crew.
