Best of 2003: Best Local Entrepreneurs

OnlineSports.com
www.onlinesports.com
800-856-2638

Chris Haupt and Michael Farkas got into the Internet retail game in 1995. The college buddies (USD class of '83) pooled their talents (Haupt's computer skills and Farkas's MBA), went online, and waited two weeks before they got their first order from a guy in Canada. In the inaugural year the business netted a whopping $6611.34. Currently the privately held, multimillion-dollar company offers over 55,000 items of sports equipment and memorabilia. Despite a couple of lucrative buyout offers, Haupt and Farkas have kept their business local and streamlined -- 22 employees fill an average 400 orders a day. The biggest sellers? Jerseys of the legends: Dr. J., Joe Montana, Pete Maravich, and Nolan Ryan.