Roy and “Mad Max” Zitomer’s familial bond and love for the game of baseball has made Closeout Bats the perfect location for all your gear for years. Located in Westwood, Closeout Bats began in 1992 after Roy left the Easton Rawlings sports company as a baseball bat salesman. Roy began his own baseball gear store on eBay, selling exclusively online until 1999.
That year, Roy moved the business off of eBay, starting his own retail store during the early 2000s. By 2010, Max entered the family business, helping out after school alongside of other high school students.
The hours worked well for Max’s schedule, as the store’s hours during that time were from 3:30pm to 6pm. Years later, the business converted to more traditional hours, but that small shift did not lessen Max’s appreciation for his father’s consideration.
Nowadays, Closeout Bats has garnered attention from baseball and softball fans from across the Tri-State area, allowing the duo to cater to a wide selection of customers beyond Bergen County.
“We draw from a big area,” Max commented, “We get people from Bergen County obviously, but we also get people from Rockland County, Westchester, even Connecticut. The business has definitely taken on a life of its own and become a destination spot for people.”
Part of the draw for many is the great connection and comradery between Roy and Max, whose dynamic within Closeout Bats keeps everything running smoothly.
“I would say at the end of the day,” Max stated in regard to his dynamic with his father, “that it’s a loving relationship because we are both doing what we both love to do.”
That love of sports and baseball specifically allows the two to run their business with passion and efficiency. Each one knows that should something go wrong or the time comes to move on, the other would have their back.
“We kind of have a deal,” Max explained, “When he’s done, I’m done and when I’m done, he’s done. It’s an unwritten rule that we have, when we both think that it’s not fun anymore, we’ll basically call it quits. It’s an ongoing joke with us.”
Of course, that time does not seem to be coming anytime soon, as their passion for baseball and close dynamic continues to thrive both inside and outside of Closeout Bats.
“Working with my dad definitely has strengthened our bond,” Max said, “Baseball makes up 90-95% of what our conversations are about. Basically, when we’re not working baseball, we are talking baseball and when we’re not talking baseball, we’re watching baseball. It’s really all we kind of do. But again, it’s what we love to do, so it doesn’t feel like it’s overdoing it in any way.”
Roy and Max’s shared passion for baseball has deepened their bond and brought purpose to each day, as they inspire the next generation of players on and off the field. Their journey—and their love for the sport—truly hits a home run, not just for them, but for all of us here in the Pascack Valley.
For more information on Closeout Bats’ inventory, visit closeoutbats.com.
Closeout Bat’s hours of operation are 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm Saturday and closed on Sundays.