06 | More Than T-Shirts — Connie Winegar on PB Sports, Kindness & Small Town Business

Jan 12

If you’ve lived in Huron for more than five minutes, you’ve probably seen it, worn it, gifted it, or needed it in a pinch. Orange and black. Tigers gear. Team shirts. Matching “event weekend” tees. The “we need this by Friday” apparel emergency that somehow gets pulled off every single time.

In this episode of the Huron Spotlight Podcast: Local Stories and Business Growth, Malwina Aviles and I (Megan Smith) sit down with Connie Winegar of PB Sports, and it turns into one of those conversations that makes you go, yep, this is why I love living here.

Because PB Sports isn’t just a store. It’s a piece of Huron’s identity.

Connie shares how PB Sports started back in 1999 (yes, over 25 years ago), originally launched by her husband Pat and her brother, and how it grew from licensed sports inventory into what most of us know it as today: custom apparel, embroidery, screen printing, and local Tigers pride that shows up everywhere from basketball games to family vacations. She talks about stepping into the business herself, how a “woman’s touch” changed the feel of the store, and what it’s really like running a small business in a rural town where you’re not just selling shirts… you’re serving neighbors, teams, schools, businesses, and the community as a whole.

And honestly, you’re going to want to hear Connie tell the stories in her own words, because there are moments in this episode that are pure Huron legend. Like the time members of Def Leppard walked into the shop and asked for Tigers sweatshirts before their fair concert (casual), or when Riley Green showed up onstage wearing a shirt Connie helped create (iconic). It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes story that makes you look at downtown differently the next time you drive through.

We also get into the real stuff: how COVID hit small business owners, what it meant to lose the State Tournament momentum overnight, and how Connie pivoted online and watched the community show up for her in a big way. She shares how PB Sports became part of something deeper too, including her personal connection to mental health awareness and why kindness is more than a slogan in her world.

But maybe the best part of this episode is what it quietly becomes: a love letter to small town life. To the way people take care of each other. To the way Huron businesses collaborate and support one another. To those moments that remind you, “Oh yeah… this is home.”

If you care about Huron SD small businesses, if you love stories about local entrepreneurship, if you’ve ever worn Tigers gear, or if you just need a dose of encouragement that good people still exist, this episode is for you.

Tune into the full episode on the Huron Spotlight Podcast to hear Connie’s full story, the behind-the-scenes moments, and the community connection that makes PB Sports one of those places that’s bigger than business.

Highlights from This Conversation

(aka the moments you’ll want to hear in her own words)

PB Sports began in 1999, started by Connie’s husband Pat and her brother, and grew into a cornerstone of custom apparel in Huron.
The shift from licensed inventory (NASCAR, NFL) to what Huron really wanted: local Tigers gear and custom orders.
The “woman’s touch” Connie brought to the business and how that changed the store’s energy and customer experience.
Wild local history: Def Leppard at the SD State Fair, Tigers sweatshirts, and ending up in their program book.
The evolution of marketing in a rural town: from radio ads to Facebook and social media (and how it changed ordering and inventory decisions).
The reality of small business survival during COVID, including canceled tournaments, massive shirt orders, and the community showing up anyway.
The deeper “why” behind Connie’s mission, including mental health awareness, kindness messaging, and what it means to serve Huron for decades.
Downtown construction, reinvestment, and why the glow-up was worth the growing pains.
The origin of Connie’s signature phrase: #SmallTownLove and why it’s more than a hashtag.
A brand new idea inspired by Connie: a listener-submitted #SmallTownLove segment for the podcast.