8-Week Pilot · Pro Shops & Sharpening Counters in Hockey Markets

Never Have
A Dull Moment On the Ice

We're building the app that gets your sharpening service found — even after the retail side of the shop is gone. Real queues, real awareness, real reps for your sharpeners. Before we launch, we need real shops to help us get it right.

Apply to Be a Pilot Shop See the App Demo

In Search Of: Rinks & pro shops that still offer skate sharpening — Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston, Minnesota

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The Problem

Your Sharpening Service Is Invisible

The retail side closed, but the machine didn't go anywhere. Most customers assume the whole counter shut down with it — and you can't book a service you don't know exists.

Awareness Problem

Nobody Knows You Still Offer It

Retail closes, and customers assume the whole counter is gone with it. Your machine sits idle between tournaments — not because demand disappeared, but because nobody thought to ask.

Trust Problem

Sharpeners Never Get Reps

Ten to fifteen sharpenings a week isn't enough to build real skill. The players who care most about their edges are the fastest to write off a sharpener they don't trust — one bad cut and they don't come back.

Volume Problem

Tournament Weekends Are a Guessing Game

MLK, Presidents Day, your AAA invitational — you know the rush is coming. There's no way to warn families in advance, or manage the line once it lands.

Every rink still needs the machine for its own rental fleet. It's the last real reason a customer walks up to your counter.
Why This, Why Now

The One Service That Didn't Go Away

Retail died for a reason. Equipment makers keep multiplying stick lines, flexes, and blade patterns until no shop can stock them all — and volume never justified trying. Skates are heading the same direction with fit scans and custom builds. Sharpening never got more complicated. Every rink still needs the machine for its own rental fleet. It's the last real reason a customer walks up to your counter — which makes it the easiest thing you have to build a business around.

10–15Sharpenings / Week Baseline
6–7Tournaments a Year Drive Rush Volume
$8Typical Price Per Sharpening
How It Works

Built to Solve Awareness,
Not Add Software.

No dashboards to learn, no hours to keep updating on a website nobody visits. SharpEdge exists to put your sharpening service in front of the people already at the rink.

01

Get On the Map

List your sharpening service — even without a storefront. You show up in search near every rink in the area, with no separate website or hours to maintain.

Shop App Local Search Zero Setup
02

Open a Live Queue

Set your hours and offered hollows — we estimate wait times automatically. Families see real availability and book ahead or walk in. No spreadsheets, no phone tag.

Auto Wait Estimates Service Types Walk-In / Queue
03

Tournament Surge Mode

Push notifications before MLK, Presidents Day, and your own invitational tell traveling families exactly where they can get sharpened before puck drop — before they even land in town.

Advance Notice Rink Proximity Rush Ready
04

Skate Drop Box

A tagged drop box lets customers leave skates and track status right in the app — so you're not chained to the counter, and they're not guessing when it's ready. We're piloting this with a handful of shops first.

In Development Tag & Track Founder Feedback Shapes This
Interactive Prototype

Try It Right Now

These are working prototypes of the actual app experience. Click around — no signup needed.

7:37
▴▴
Good evening,
Ice Palace Pro Shop
5 Queue
12 Complete
$96 Sales
Wait List Show Completed ›
1
Mike Johnson
Reservation ·2:45 PM
5/8"
In Queue
Sharpening
Ready
Done
2
Emma Davis
Reservation ·3:15 PM
9/16"
In Queue
Sharpening
Ready
Done
3
Tyler Brown
Reservation ·4:00 PM
1/2"
In Queue
Sharpening
Ready
Done
⌂
Home
↗
Analytics
○
Profile

The Shop Dashboard

Shops get a clean iOS app to manage the queue, track revenue, and notify customers when skates are ready — all without spreadsheets or phone calls.

  • Live wait list with customer names, hollow specs, and appointment times
  • One tap to mark "Ready for Pickup" — customer gets notified automatically
  • Weekly analytics with revenue tracking and full transaction history
  • Store profile, hours, and notification settings all in one place
During the pilot: we sit with each shop for the first weekend to make sure setup is smooth. You won't be figuring it out alone.
1:00
▴▴
X.
Good afternoon,
John Smith
Search for shops near you...
4 Sharpenings Away from a Free Cut!
For every 10 bookings made, you get one free!
Nearby Shops ›
Ice Palace Pro Shop
0.8 mi · Bellevue
Sharpening
$8
Pure Hockey
1.0 mi · Bellevue
Sharpening
$8
⌂
Home
◎
Shops
○
Profile

The Player View

Parents open the app and see nearby shops, live availability, and pricing — then book a sharpening in under a minute. Tap through the screens to see the full flow.

  • Personalized home feed with nearby shops and real-time availability
  • Choose your hollow, pick a time slot, and confirm — all in the app
  • Booking history and saved preferences make every return visit faster
  • Built-in loyalty program — earn a free sharpening every 10 bookings
Note: These are real prototype screens from the app we've built. The backend isn't live yet — that's what the pilot is for. You're not testing a PDF mockup.
Pilot Details

What You're Signing Up For

We're not asking for a big commitment — we're asking for honest participation. Here's exactly what the 8-week pilot looks like.

For Your Shop

  • ✓
    Free during the entire pilot — no cost, no commitment after
  • ✓
    We come to you for setup and onboarding
  • ✓
    Direct line to the founders — your feedback shapes what gets built, drop box included
  • ✓
    Named as a founding partner shop at public launch
  • ✓
    Pilot timed around MLK and Presidents Day tournament weekends — peak demand, real conditions
  • ✓
    One 15-min check-in per week — Zoom or phone, your call

What Your Customers Get

  • ✓
    Find your sharpening service without guessing whether you're still open
  • ✓
    Skip the line — book a slot, or drop off and track status
  • ✓
    Confidence in who's sharpening their skates, built on visible reps and reviews
  • ✓
    Advance notice of tournament-weekend availability
  • ✓
    Zero cost to customers during the entire pilot

8-Week Pilot Timeline

Phase I
Weeks 1–2
Setup
Phase II
Weeks 3–4
MLK Weekend
Phase III
Weeks 5–6
Presidents Day
Phase IV
Weeks 7–8
Optimize
8Week Pilot
10Total Spots
$0Cost to You
Apply Now

Ready to Go First?

If your rink still sharpens skates — pro shop or not — this is your shot to fix the one problem that's actually costing you sales: nobody knowing you exist.

Target: MLK & Presidents Day Weekends

We're building toward MLK and Presidents Day tournament weekends as our first live pilot windows — peak demand, real conditions, real data. Spots are limited — apply now to be considered for the opening wave.

We'll follow up within 48 hours — no pitch, no deck.
No backend means no data risk. You're testing the app, not handing us your customer list.
You can leave the pilot at any time. We just hope you won't want to.

No spam, no sales call, no pitch deck. Just a conversation.

✓

You're on the list.

We'll be in touch within 48 hours.
Thanks for wanting to fix this. It's overdue.