The Valley Sport Shop is shown at its first location in old Maple Valley about 1950. It was then situated between Joe Mezzavilla’s store (later Maple Valley Food Center, Serve-U, and finally Red Apple Market) to the left and the Shell Station on Highway 169, out of view to the right. Around 1951, the building was moved to its present location on 216th Way where it now operates as Cascadia Pizza. But originally it was Mondell Merlini’s sporting goods store, which he advertised as the “Fishing Headquarters.”
At the time Maple Valley’s original town center was located near where the Maple Valley highway crosses the Cedar River and Highway 18 now passes over Highway 169. Back then the commercial areas of Wilderness Village and Four Corners were little more than a gas station with a café. Old Maple Valley was the center of commerce including public facilities such as the library and fire station. It was also where the Maple Valley railway stations once stood and three railroad lines headed different directions: one serving Black Diamond’s coal mines, a second to Taylor east of Hobart, while the third followed the Cedar River upstream on its way through Snoqualmie Summit.
The Valley Sports Shop was operated by Mondell Merlini who together with his brothers, Tony and Leo, plus sister, Marie grew up in Black Diamond. Their parents, Nello and Olivia emigrated from Italy as Nello found worked in the coal mines. Marie Merlini is the young lady standing beside an early 1950s Dodge sedan. Her brother, Tony Merlini married Joe Mezzavilla’s daughter, Adelia and later assumed operation of Joe’s store. Marie worked there as a checker. Mezzavilla purchased the store from its second owner, William D. “Billy” Gibbon, one of Maple Valley’s early pioneers. The original Gibbon-Mezzavilla General Store was moved to Witte Road across from the library and now serves as one of the Maple Valley Historical Society’s museums.
As a young man, Mondell Merlini was the victim of gunshot incident near Auburn. The injury left him partially crippled. Mezzavilla often helped his fellow Italian countrymen so set Mondell up in business. Mondell was after all the brother-in-law of his daughter, Adelia. Within the 620-square foot structure, Mondell sold fishing gear, bait, guns, ammo, license, and even car tabs. He also wrote occasional fishing articles for the VOICE of the Valley and was a longtime supporter of the annual Fishing Derby held opening day of fishing season at Lake Wilderness. A small café operated by Doris Tedder was located within the tiny building.
In Aug. 1994, Merlini sold the property and shop to Shirley Lee Langen for $120,000. Mondell Merlini died in 2000 at the age of 76. After the sale the property was became a series of cafes including the Testy Chef, Seven Diners, and most recently Cascadia Wood Fired Pizza operated by Thomas Reinhard, a Maple Valley native, with his two partners, Christian Buck and Calvin Freatman. This photo # P17.02.12 comes courtesy of the Maple Valley Historical Society.
