About us
DMK SPORTS was established in 1991 by Donald Falcone with the help of his sons Donald Jr. and Michael. It started out of the home, servicing local youth teams, business and intramural sports teams at Bryant College. Upon Don Jr's graduation from Bryant the doors were opened on the first retail store in Smithfield, still located there today in a larger and better location. In its beginning, the specialty was team and business outfitting as well as retail licensed team apparel; Celtics, Bruins, etc. A few years later Michael left the business to move into a career of construction. Don Jr's sister Karen played a key role for quite a few years as the artwork specialist helping to design customers logos and t-shirt designs. She is now using her creative mind in the kitchen design trade.
In our first few years of business, soccer had just begun to grow at a considerable rate, and with the high demand and encouragement from local soccer players, the decision was made to transition into a soccer specialty store. In the mid 90s, a second location was opened at Ocean State Indoor Sports; RI's first indoor sports complex, located in Lincoln. Upon the closing of that facility, the store was relocated to RI Indoor Sports; now known as TeamWorks.
During the transition year before the store in Warwick, the Smithfield store was renovated and doubled in size to the size it is now. Over the years, many things have changed, from the product sold to the personnel helping sell it. But a few thing have remained constant; the attention to detail and customer service better than others in the industry.
Also, the offerings of merchandise have changed, but we are most proud of the added production methods added which now include: embroidery, direct imprinting, vinyl cutting for lettering, cap embroidery, decals and more to come.
1991
DMK SPORTS founded in Smithfield, RI
1995
Second location added in Lincoln, RI at Ocean State Indoor Sports
1996
Incorporated
1998
Closed Lincoln store and expanded Smithfield store by doubling it in size and remodeling
1999
Relocated second store to RI Indoor Sports (TeamWorks) Warwick, RI
2012
Closed Warwick store, renovation to Smithfield store and established new web site with e-commerce
2015
Relocated Smithfield store to a much larger building at 7 Commerce Street; behind A&W Root Beer and Walgreens pharmacy. The new store offers a modern, airy appearance with more retail and production area.
Meet the Team
Don Falcone Jr.
President and General Manager
Graduated Bryant College 1991: BS in Business Management (Entrepreneurship Program)
Over 35 years experience fitting footwear (especially youth)
Over 30 years experience in heat seal printing of garments
Over 15 years experience in embroidery production and design
Over 30 years experience in computer designed artwork and graphics for apparel
My first interest in retail sales started with my first job in high school and has developed through the years. I was initially intrigued by the dynamics of customer interaction, inventory control, product knowledge and a continuous change in activity. Through my college years working in footwear sales and inventory management, I found a trade to pursue and would look for a future in management in this area. With an undergraduate degree in business management in hand I partnered with my father to open DMK Sports. We started the store with the vision of serving the uniform and apparel needs of local sports teams and fans. During the first couple years, I learned of the growing interest and participation in soccer. At that time, we began to transition our product mix to fulfill this need in the marketplace. Over the years, the business has grown with our commitment to a family friendly experience, excellent quality, value pricing, product knowledge, old-time customer service, exciting product mix, and an experienced staff that believes in these ideals. My hard work and dedication to the business and customers has built our reputation that keeps customers returning and new ones to find us.
My key skills are management of staff, operations management, inventory knowledge, attention to detail, embroidery and printing experience, retail interaction experience, and helping clients discover the look they are seeking.
Tyler Lafountain
I am a sports retail professional and soccer specialist with a genuine passion for the game that spans playing, coaching, and business. At DMK Sports, I oversee production, manage soccer club accounts, drive community outreach, and manage the brand's social media presence — working to connect our store with the players, coaches, and clubs that make up the local soccer community. My focus is on building relationships that bring value both on and off the field, and creating content that reflects the culture and energy of the sport we love. I hold a Master's degree in Sports Management with a 3.8 GPA, which has allowed me to bring both academic rigor and real-world perspective to everything I do in this space.
Beyond the storefront, I serve as an assistant coach and head JV coach at Lincoln High School, where I lead player development and help oversee the program's transition into Division I competition. I also hold a USSF D coaching license and am a certified NFHS Level 3 coach, and my experience extends to the semi-professional level where I have had the opportunity to coach and develop players competing at a higher stage of the game. My coaching philosophy is built on discipline, technical fundamentals, and building systems that develop players at every level — skills I carry directly into my professional work.
Sarah Bessette
The custom apparel division of DMK Sports allows me to see ideas brought from concept to completion; being a part of that process is something that I’m very proud of. As the embroidery manager, I handle and oversee embroidery production to help customers bring their ideas to life. I work with our customers, both individual and corporate, to help them create ideas, find the right products, and plan decoration methods to create something they are proud of. I also assist with corporate sales and help grow our custom apparel division through social media.
My educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and a Master’s degree in Organizational Communication, both of which have strengthened my ability to collaborate with customers, manage projects, and build lasting relationships.
Combined with hands-on industry experience, these skills help me guide customers through the customization process with confidence and attention to detail. Whether it’s recommending apparel, selecting decoration options, or ensuring quality throughout production, my goal is to make the experience easy, enjoyable, and successful for every customer.
Christopher Falcone
After graduating high school, Christopher has come to work full-time at DMK Sports and fill a couple key roles. Awarded the task of managing our top corporate client, he has jumped in and helped to grow this client’s sales volume. With this growth, he has coordinated with staff to meet and beat expected delivery dates on this client’s orders. This role involves inventory management, shirt printing, logistics/shipping coordination, and client interaction. Another role has been coordinating online sales through our own website and eBay. As we built out a new e- commerce site, he has been the key person uploading new products and managing inventory. This task has also included managing the shipment of online orders. Christopher has a vast knowledge of many things that continue to be a benefit to the company. His knowledge of technology especially has made him the go-to guy when our team is in need of help. Our in house Mr. Fix-It.
Hannah Padilla
With a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and years of design experience, Hannah assists in online design work for both the soccer and custom apparel divisions. She has years of experience working at DMK in all areas, and worked full-time as the in-house designer after college before relocating to Florida. She now works part-time remotely to help create artwork, assist in website management, and works in coordination with the team to complete various tasks as they come.
Don Falcone
Co-Founder
