The beloved children’s show Sesame Street taught us, through song, to celebrate the everyday people who make up a community, from the mail carrier to the teacher—that there is importance in recognizing and acknowledging our neighbors. It’s something that we have gotten away from as a society, as often times we don’t know much about our neighbors at all. Tucked away on the streets of our coastal communities are people with interesting backgrounds, hobbies and careers who are going quietly about their lives. Some of these talented, even award-winning, residents have made great contributions in their fields and our common ground is where we choose to live. Whether lifelong locals or seasonal visitors, their backgrounds add an unexpected depth to this already special place we call home. There’s a good message in those lyrics that a strong, connected community is built on knowing “the people that you meet each day.” ~ Leslie Hatton

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Mike Sherman 

By Leslie Hatton 

To the average, untrained eye, someone who may not be an avid sports fan, Mike Sherman probably looks like your average Cape Codder. He might be sitting on a bench drinking a coffee on Main Street in Chatham while his wife shops, or playing with his grandchildren at West Dennis Beach, or maybe he’s in the stands watching a Cape Cod Baseball League game. Most people wouldn’t recognize him as the deeply respected, former NFL coach that he is. Known not just for his strategic football mind, but perhaps more notably, for his unwavering dedication to his players and to the game that he loves. It’s a game he loves so much, that after coaching in the NFL in roles such as offensive line coach, assistant coach, head coach, and general manager, he added Nauset High School football coach to his resume.

Sherman grew up in Massachusetts, one of five children, and lived on the second floor of a double decker, owned by his grandfather. He shares, “My grandfather didn’t charge much for rent, so my father took the money left over from the rent and invested it in a two-bedroom cottage in Chatham. That was the start of the Sherman kids going to the Cape every summer.” Fondly, Sherman recalls that his father would eventually buy an old “clunker” of a boat that he named Lucky Duck, to illustrate to his children how lucky they were to be on Cape Cod and to have a boat. “It had a 40 HP engine, and we took it to Cockle Cove Beach just about every day,” he reminisces. His father, however, didn’t get to enjoy boat days often enough with his family as he was either working, or at Army Reserve training—silently communicating a work ethic that the Sherman kids were absorbing.

Sherman graduated from Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, Massachusetts and then on to Central Connecticut State University to play football. His first job after graduation was as a high school English teacher and football coach, which helped him to not only recognize his gift and talent for the sport but also gave him an avenue in which he could ignite the drive and work ethic instilled in him by his parents.

From there, Sherman’s coaching career began to take off. He had stints at the college level at University of Pittsburgh, Tulane, Holy Cross, Texas A&M, and UCLA, and in the National Football League he worked for the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins and most notably, as the head coach and general manager for the Green Bay Packers as well as head coach for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. In total, Sherman has tallied up over 40 years coaching and is one of a select few who has been a head coach of a high school, college, NFL, and CFL team. With a smile he says, “Needless to say, the Sherman family knows how to pack and unpack boxes.”

During the years when the Shermans lived in Wisconsin and it proved too tricky to travel to the Cape, the family spent time in Door County, just north of Green Bay located on Lake Michigan. Sherman reveals, “There were distinct similarities between the Cape and Door County—quaint fishing and boating villages, sandy beaches, bridges, lighthouses, shopping, restaurants and summer rental cottages were all comparable. The timeless beauty of both places was special.”

Cape Cod, however, always remained a constant beacon for the Sherman family, and as often as he and his wife Karen and their five children could make it happen, they returned to the place where it felt like home to all of them. “We have lived on the south side of the Cape in West Dennis, the north side in Yarmouth Port and right off Cape in Plymouth,” he states.

In 2014 when Sherman found himself at a crossroads in his career, he and Karen decided to put their permanent roots in the sand and make Cape Cod their full-time residence. An unsettled feeling (there’s that work ethic again) left him thinking that he wasn’t quite ready to retire, so Sherman placed a call to Nauset High School to discuss the prospect of running a football camp. The call turned into an offer to coach the football team; so, with the same support his wife had shown over his decades of collegiate and professional coaching, and a gentle nudge, he accepted the position. Sherman felt compelled to accept yet another challenge and after two years coaching the Nauset Warriors, he left to become the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes. 

These days, the retired Sherman invests his energy into developing meaningful relationships, both personal and spiritual, and navigating life more slowly here in the place that has been a cherished part of his family for so long. You may find the Shermans walking along the canal or the Brewster Flats, or on adventures with their nine grandchildren, or even fishing off Monomoy in his boat Flea Flicker. Ever a coach, he reflects, but provides sound advice, “Since the NFL is such a fast-paced environment, it was a difficult adjustment for me to slow down. It’s important, however, to keep moving and not to fall victim to stopping. The key is to keep moving, maybe not the pace you’re accustomed to, but keep your head up and move forward.” 

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Wendy Hudson

By Julie Craven Wagner

Washashore is a term largely reserved for individuals who find their way to the Cape, and proudly claim it as their home, despite not being a native Cape Codder. For Nantucketers who, through currents and a succession of incoming and receding tides, find their way to the Faraway Island as it has become known, the circumstances that lead to dropping anchor are often as unique as the island itself. For Wendy Hudson, a local business entrepreneur, that adage could not be more true.

“My grandparents had a home on Wing’s Neck in Pocasset—where my mother now lives—and we would make our summer pilgrimages from Cleveland, Ohio to the Cape—we had the station wagon loaded up and would be pulling a Widgeon—and it was always the stuff of idyllic memories. My grandparents were sailors, and every few years we’d sail to Nantucket and I loved it.” she explains. During a semester at Mystic Seaport while at Smith College, other adventurous students regaled her with tales of their summers spent working on Nantucket. “I thought, is that really a thing? So, I followed them and got a job at Bartlett’s Farm because they had housing back in the summer of 1988,” she recalls. 

After graduating, Hudson found her way to Palo Alto with some of her friends. “It was the very beginning of the micro-brew craze. I always say I should have gone to work for Oracle as like Employee Number Two, or started a computer company in my garage, but instead we were making beer,” she quips.

Yet Nantucket still tugged at her heart and when she returned, she met the love of her life, her husband Randy. “He was then, and still is, a completely untethered spirit. He was living on a live-aboard—a boat on a mooring in the harbor with no engine—and he was baking bread at a local bakery. So, I stayed after the summer and for our first Christmas I gave him a home brew kit, and since he is such an intuitive cook—following his instinct instead of a recipe—he really took it to another level,” Hudson muses. A loft space over Nantucket Vineyard, allowed the couple to share their unique concoctions with the public. The winery owners Dean and Melissa Long, and the Hudsons instead decided to embark on a partnership that is now the world renown Cisco Brewers/Triple Eight Distillery/Nantucket Vineyard. “In 1996 we actually brought on a fifth partner,” Hudson explains. “Jay Harman had come to the island to write a paper on our business as an undergraduate, and it was evident he was a natural sales guy, so we didn’t let him leave.”

Today, Cisco has evolved and expanded to several locations off the island, and Randy has continued to innovate and surprise lovers of adult beverages with his distilling prowess as he is now head blender for Triple Eight Distillery. Wendy who is still on the board of Cisco, indulges one of her other passions in another unrelated entrepreneurial venture. “We got our license to brew in 1995, and so in the off-season as we were getting the brewery started, I took a job at Nantucket Bookworks so we would have something to support us. In reality, I was in heaven. I mean, what is better than a Nantucket winter and snuggling in to read books?” she confesses. A later purchase of the store and an acquisition of Mitchell’s Book Corner in 2012 has Hudson now cornering the literary market on Nantucket. Her unwavering support of local authors, and the island community as a whole, has positioned Hudson as a caring and impactful business leader, as evidenced by her co-founding the Nantucket Book Foundation, as well as her many civic roles. She invites one and all to find her on the island for a beer and a book. 

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Jay Miller

By Allyson Plessner

“The Goal.” Say that to any Boston Bruins fan, and they know immediately what you’re talking about. Bobby Orr soared—literally—into legendary status with his Stanley Cup-winning overtime goal against St. Louis, 55 years ago this year. It was a defining moment for the Bruins, who hadn’t won a championship in almost 30 years, for Orr, who took his role as the team’s Superman quite seriously (who can forget the photo?), and for a young Bruins fan, soon-to-be hockey star himself, Jay Miller.

As an enforcer for the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings, between 1985 and 1992, Miller protected his teammates on the ice, skating with the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Ray Bourque. He holds the record for most penalty minutes in a season (304 minutes in the 1987 season) and garnered a reputation as one of the toughest players of all-time. 

Growing up in Natick, and with Bobby Orr as a role model, Jay emphasizes how meaningful it was for him to play in Boston. “Playing at The Garden…there was nothing better.” 

“I think one of the most memorable moments I had—one of the best moments—was when we beat the Montréal Canadiens in the playoffs in 1988,” reflects Jay. “We flew into Logan airport at about 2 a.m., and there were probably around 5,000 fans cheering for us when we got off the plane.” 

Today, locals know Jay and his wife Paula as the long-time owners of Cataumet’s Courtyard Restaurant and Bar, a spot where Jay’s no-nonsense reputation can come in handy with late night crowds. “It was definitely a learning experience for me, owning a full-service restaurant,” says Jay about the early days of the Courtyard. Luckily, the instincts that he learned from all those years being a protector of his teammates carried over into his work as a restauranteur—for Jay, it’s the community that drives him to be successful.

“Our community is so close, and that’s the part of being on the Cape and owning a business here that influences me the most,” he explains. “We have a Courtyard Gives Back fundraiser every year to support local charities. The locals always come out strong and supportive; we have really great neighbors.”

Being a people-person certainly comes with the territory of owning a local restaurant, especially on a place as close-knit as the Cape, and while on the ice Jay is someone to stay clear of, off the ice is a different story. “I just enjoy people,” he says about what he loves about his work. “We see everyone from year-round customers to summer tourists come through the big gates out front. There’s so many interesting people in this world, and we love giving them a place to come together.”

This year, Jay and Paula will be honored as the 2025 recipients of the Dr. Murray Feingold Distinguished Service Award, presented by The Genesis Foundation, where Jay has served on the Board of Directors since 1986. With the Foundation, the Millers have raised millions of dollars and hosted countless events supporting children living with rare diseases and genetic disorders. It is just one of the many charitable organizations they support.

As an athlete, Jay says simply that he found motivation in, “Doing something I loved.” In a sport that is known for being violently competitive, Jay was always right in the mix, performing at the very top tier, and for him it was his “teammates, comradery, and the fans” that kept him going. In life, he takes a similar approach. “Enjoy every moment with friends and family,” he advises. After all, you never know when you might shoot “The Goal.” 

Check out the Courtyard at courtyardcapecod.com, and the Genesis Foundation and their upcoming Founder’s Gala at thegenesisfoundation.org.

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Chase Willman

By Allyson Plessner 

In a world where Peloton instructors are household names and snagging a spot in a fitness class can be more competitive than getting a table at a Michelin star restaurant, finding the right fitness routine can turn into another source of stress—when really, it’s meant to help you unwind. If the six a.m. Orange Theory class isn’t for you, or the weeknight Pilates sessions clash with your Netflix time, does that mean you’re out of luck? When the market’s oversaturated, where do you turn?

Chase Willman has an answer for that. Her online fitness classes have garnered a community of people excited to find ways to incorporate movement into their lives regularly. Her passion for this practice is evident in every energetic class, and her dedication to mindfulness takes the experience to the next level—a workout for the body and the mind.

As a lifelong dancer, Chase is no stranger to both the discipline and grace that comes with fitness. “Teaching gave me that same rush I felt dancing on stage, but I got to share my energy and love for movement with others,” she explains about her start as a barre instructor in New York City and the Hamptons. In 2020, Chase, like so many others, got innovative, turning her passion for teaching and her desire to keep her community close into a series of livestream workout classes. Her first sessions were taught out of her childhood home on Cape Cod.

“I was living with my brother, his fianceé, their new puppy, my grandfather, and my mom,” she laughs. “They listened to my classes daily, starting at six a.m. and sometimes joined in. My grandfather swears he picked up a few moves to improve his golf swing.”

Now back in the Big Apple, Chase uses her creativity to continue expanding on that community that started in a crowded living room on Cape Cod. Her motive is to provide experiences that provide a balance between strength, mental clarity, and connection. “I’ve become more focused on creating a class experience that goes beyond just the physical workout,” she explains. “My workouts are designed for all levels, and while we’re building strength and getting a great physical workout, 99% of my clients show up just as much for the mental benefits as they do for the movement.”

Teaching virtually means that Chase is able to bring that ever-elusive feeling of well-being to even more people. “Working out from home doesn’t have to be expensive or stressful, and it can still feel just as engaging and effective.” She adds, “I’m excited to keep growing and innovating in the fitness space while staying true to what’s at the core of my mission: helping others feel their best, inside and out.” 

Chase prioritizes “simple yet effective” movements in her classes. You don’t have to be a dancer to join her livestreams. And if you miss a live class, Chase has recordings available on-demand as well. “I am so honored to be part of people’s journeys whether it’s navigating their college years; starting a new job or living some place new; preparing them for their wedding, throughout pregnancy, and beyond,” she says.

Her best advice for those days when you just don’t feel like it? “Consistency is key,” she says. “Consistency is what keeps me motivated to show up for my clients and the community we’ve built. When they show up each day, it drives me to give my best. I want that 45 minutes to be the best 45 minutes of their day, and seeing them stay committed fuels my passion to do the same.”

For Chase, success is found in the small moments: showing up, staying consistent, and making a commitment to herself and her clients. “Some days I don’t feel like working out either, but having a routine is what keeps me moving,” she says. “Progress will always outweigh perfection, and I remind myself that small, consistent efforts add up to something bigger. Show up for yourself, stay committed, and trust the process.” Plus, she adds with a laugh, “I’ll never say no to a simple hot girl walk.” 

Readers can use promo code “CAPECODLIFE” to redeem their first class free at chasewillman.com.

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Steve and Todd Jones

By Chris White

To understand Centerville natives Steve and Todd Jones, co-founders of Teton Gravity Research (TGR), you need to understand their Cape Cod roots—and it helps to look to the Grateful Dead, the “band beyond description,” because TGR defies Wikipedia’s simple categorization as “an extreme sports media and apparel company based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.” More than a team of ski bums who fuel stoke through their rad movies of big mountain skiing and snowboarding, they’re a marketing juggernaut that helped raise their adopted town to prominence; a documentary film production company; a trendsetter in outdoor-lifestyle fashion; and a broad community of adventure sports enthusiasts on a global scale. 

The Jones’ journey perfectly illustrates what independent-minded people can accomplish when they hear, and follow, that clarion bell in the Grateful Dead’s song, “Franklin’s Tower” which says, “can ring like fire when you lose your way.” During their childhood, early seeds sprouted on steady diets of action and outdoor adventures in the hockey rink, in the woods, and on the water. Steve recalls, “The Cape was way less developed in the 70s, and we didn’t watch much TV. We were always outside, on the water or out whipping around on BMX bikes, building jumps. And there was a lot more snow back then, so we’d go snowboarding and skiing on the Wianno golf course.” Todd remembers their childhood in similar light, saying, “The Cape sparked our sense of adventure. We were always out on the ocean; we learned to surf at Nauset.” Both brothers note how important hockey was to them, as well. But then they discovered Stowe—and skiing. They took to the sport like stripers take to sand eels, and their parents decided it was time for them to select their own adventure: stick with hockey, or go all in on skiing. The Jones family chose the latter and never looked back. “It was a big deal for my parents to buy a condo in Stowe,” says Todd. “But once we found the mountains, we were in love right away.” During one of those early years, the family spent Christmas in Vermont, and Steve recalls, “Dad had bought us all the first Burton snowboards.” He, Todd, and their younger brother Jeremy seamlessly picked up this new snow sport—and Jeremy has taken snowboarding to the highest levels as one of the best-known big mountain freeriders in the world. He’s also the founder of Jones Snowboards and Protect Our Winters, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving these sports for future generations.

One of the next key steps in the Jones’’ evolution as skiers and riders came with their decisions to attend boarding schools in the mountains of New Hampshire, leading to another of their lifelong loves: the Grateful Dead. In the mid-80s, the band was an integral part of prep school culture, when kids would trade concert bootlegs and tales of Dead shows. There was a mystique about the scene that paradoxically offered a tribe built around ideas like finding one’s own way in the world, of daring to be different. In the summer of 1987, they caught their first show on July 4th at Foxboro, the opening of the Dylan and the Dead tour. Both brothers credit the band’s maverick approach to what they’ve been doing at TGR from the start. 

As the brothers Jones grew older and saw more of the country by following the Dead, they maintained their hard-charging passion for skiing. In 1990, when Steve took a year off from college to spend the winter in Jackson Hole, Todd came out to visit. He was hooked, and the earliest seeds of TGR began to take root. The brothers found like-minded people, and they developed into what Todd describes as “low-level pro skiers.” This led to roles in other people’s movies and to Alaska, where they also worked as heli-ski guides with their friend Dirk Collins. But they dreamed of making their own films in their own way, in the backcountry. Todd says, “It was kind of like an actor deciding to flip and become a director.” Collins knew something about the fishing industry in Alaska, so when the money dried up in the mountains, they headed to Sitka, where Todd says the Cape gave them a boost. “We’re multi-generational Cape Codders,” he notes. “So when we were pounding the docks, we’d tell the captains how we love the ocean, we don’t get seasick, and we work hard.” Soon they found jobs on 56-foot fishing boats, hauling in “every species of salmon, black cod, and halibut”—all against the backdrop of Alaska’s towering mountains. More importantly, they also netted a lot of money in a short span of time, and rather than blowing it all, they decided to start a film production company. 

After purchasing a 16mm camera, TGR launched in 1995, and the team began shooting on location in Alaska, New Zealand, Idaho, and Wyoming for what would become its flagship film, The Continuum, which premiered in 1996 and became an instant classic, garnering a number of awards including Best Movie from France’s Skieur Magazine and later, induction into the Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame for its contributions to ski cinema. The Jones’ were self-taught filmmakers, learning on the fly, and adapting to conditions. Todd says, “It was trial by error, but we were good backcountry skiers, so we knew the angles to shoot.” 

Twenty-four years later, after producing dozens upon dozens of films on outdoor sports ranging from their core of skiing and snowboarding to surfing, mountain biking, skateboarding, wing flying, and more, the Jones’ merged two of their lifelong passions together by partnering with the Grateful Dead in 2019. “This was super exciting,” says Steve. “Their music and skiing are two of the things I love more than anything.” In a serendipitous, improvisational way, the venture involved Atomic, for whom artist and pro-freeskiing legend Chris Benchetler has a line of skis (the Bent Chetler), and mutual admiration from the Dead. “When we reached out, the guy we talked with was a fan of TGR,” says Steve. In collaborating with the band, TGR launched a limited run of skis featuring Benchetler’s Grateful Dead-inspired art as well as a line of apparel with iconic imagery such as the dancing bears and the 13-point lightning bolt. “We were one of the first outdoor brands to do this,” Steve explains. “After that it went gangbusters.” All of this arose during TGR’s process of co-producing Benchetler’s 27-minute short feature, Fire on the Mountain, which starred, among others, Jeremy Jones. Narrated by former Boston Celtic Bill Walton, it also unapologetically showcases one of the band’s most iconic songs, as its title suggests.

This is year thirty for Teton Gravity Research, and the Jones’ show no sign of slowing down. “I’m super pumped,” says Steve. “Our 30th anniversary film is coming out this fall, and it’s a big moment for us. We’ll also do the official launch of TGR TV, which is already out there in kind of a beta stage.” Todd adds, “I just love it. I spent the past ten days filming out in the mountains with my son (rising freeskier star, Kai Jones). There’s nothing I like more than getting outside, away from the clutter of society. And our work has always been exciting and fresh with the challenge of telling a good story, using everything we’ve got to do it.”

TGR is testament to the impact of heeding one’s call in life, but it also represents the power of visualization. As Cape Cod kids dreaming of big adventures, Steve remembers how “We had all sorts of ski posters, surfing posters on our walls, were always looking forward to the next issue of Powder Magazine.”  

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Jen Macdonald & Mike Lemieux

By Julie Craven Wagner

Mike Lemieux and Jen Macdonald have history. Long before they became a couple both in life and in business, the local (both Sandwich natives) HGTV host of Houses with History were childhood friends—and even survived a singular failed dating attempt, which they laugh about now. “We reconnected after knowing each other in high school, I was Mike’s sister’s best friend, and Mike likes to tell the story about how we went on one awkward date where we rented a movie at Blockbuster,” Jen recalls. “It was just weird at the time.” Now, at their appropriately named company, Full Circle Homes, Jen is the interior designer and Mike is the general contractor. Together with their crew, they renovate homes around Cape Cod and the South Shore.

Coincidentally as young adults they both ended up in the Boston corporate world, specifically finance, pursuing what they thought at the time was the American Dream. It wasn’t until they got together for a few lunches that they both realized their shared passion was rooted in the endless possibilities found in the world of real estate, housing and entrepreneurial pursuits. “Yeah, we decided to buy our first rental property together barely before we started dating,” Mike explains. Jen finishes his sentence to say, “I think we were like six months into dating, and we bought a two-family, 200-year-old house in Everett, split the costs, and worked day and night with every free moment we had—not an ideal way to start a relationship, but who knows maybe it was, because it has all worked out.”

Mike says it wasn’t exactly a light bulb moment when he knew he had found the person to build his life with, but he does recall the moment he knew what they had was different, “I remember thinking about this one day. I was watching a television program about some old house or castle—it was a dilapidated structure, and I recall thinking, ‘Jen would be diving into that even before I would,’ and I thought that was hilarious.”

That good-natured approach to what others might find insurmountable is one of the characteristics that binds this couple and presumably charms their audience as well. Between the two—Mike with his passion and expertise for the endless, authentic details of historic homes, and Jen with her innate design sense—they have found an easy rhythm that engages viewers of their television program now in its second season. Yet, their ability to connect with a growing audience has branched out to include a slate of videos on their Full Circle Homes YouTube channel and a charming and bespoke retail store, Mayflower Mercantile at the home base of their construction company in Plympton, Massachusetts. 

Good couples and partnerships are often a complementary ying and yang of traits and strengths—fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle—and this pair epitomizes that. “I guess I probably speak for Mike on this as well, but being in past relationships and just talking about any kind of adventure—like buying a house no one else wants, or trekking off to the middle of nowhere in Maine to go look at a town for sale—anyone else would think I was insane, but with Mike, instead it becomes a really cool moment of possibility.” And yes, consideration of buying that town was within the realm of possibility for this unique duo. Instead, one of the projects Full Circle Homes is most excited about is the renovation of the Rock Village School in Middleboro that they purchased from the town for a dollar. Currently, they have three exquisitely restored, historic homes for rent; the Deacon Eldred House on Shawme Pond in Sandwich, a house in Plympton, circa 1707, and The Black Walnut House, circa 1800, also in Plympton. All are available and accommodate large groups.  

To see more about Mike and Jen and Full Circle Homes, check out their website fullcircle-homes.com and follow them on Instagram and YouTube.

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Dan Eberly

By Greg O’Brien

One can see why Dan Eberly was drawn to Orleans: the remarkable history of the town dating back to native settlements thousands of years ago; the pastoral fields that in places, mirror Ireland; the pounding, majestic surf of Nauset Beach; and the stunning Cape Cod Bay sunsets on Skaket Beach that often look as if the Lord had rendered them. 

A man of faith, Eberly found great beauty and a peaceful purpose early on in Orleans—visiting the town in his teenage and college years, walking the beaches and serene trails, fishing for Stripers. Then was drawn back here over time for grander reasons. 

Eberly has weathered these years as well as the land that he so loves. On the lip of turning 75, he shows no signs of slowing down. Handsome, trim like an athlete, and understated in humble ways, he indeed is a notable neighbor. Dan and his wife Lynn are co-owners of Watson’s Men’s Store in Orleans, which was founded in 1951, an institution in the town today. They live in East Orleans near tranquil Town Cove. Dan and Lynn are good partners. Says Lynn of Watson’s customers, “We want you to look better than you want to look yourself.”

Raised in Needham, Eberly indeed is a man for all seasons—a star hockey goalie at Needham High School and in college at Northeastern where he played against some of the nation’s top teams—among them Boston University, Boston College and Harvard—deflecting often 50 shots on goals that came at him like “black blizzards” he says, “at more than 90 miles an hour from 20 feet away.” The experience gave him great life skills, learning to react confidently and swiftly to all sorts of fast-paced settings.

“You have to read the play and the body language of the shooter,” he says of hockey and life itself. “You have to react within an instant.” 

After Northeastern, Eberly joined the USA Silver Medal Team, which played in the 1972 World Championships, training in Switzerland and playing in Romania. He was then scouted by the Chicago Blackhawks, placed on their Reserve List, and made it to the final cut before a career-ending injury.

Fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. Eberly’s two sons Danny and Douglas were hockey standouts growing up; Danny, a gifted defenseman, was drafted by the New York Rangers. 

A prestigious Beanpot award from the annual Boston hockey tournament bearsthe names of Eberly and his brother Glen, who was an incredible goalie at Boston University. Called the Eberly Trophy, it is awarded to the best goalie at the Beanpot championship at TD Garden where the Bruins play. Eberly has presented the trophy every year since its inception in 1974.

After earning a degree in finance and marketing and an MBA at Northeastern, Eberly worked for various companies as a chief financial officer and chief operating officer, then became a successful real estate developer. 

He and his wife “retired” to Orleans in 2015, but it was a brief retreat. “I still had an itch to run a company,” he says. So Eberly scratched the itch, meeting up with then Watson’s owner Hank Colleran, who was looking to retire himself. In short order, Eberly and his wife bought the store. Eberly runs the business side and Lynn attentively oversees the customer base.

“We’ve created a niche,” says Eberly, noting the customer base extends as far as visitors from Europe in summer.

Eberly is a man with intriguing right-brain and left-brain talents. His back-office today at Watson’s is testimony to this and to cramped quarters—at times, the look of an attorney’s office, just before a major trial, with piles and piles of brimming paperwork that look like they are about to tip over. Yet Eberly knows instinctively what’s in each stack from top to bottom.

Watson’s is open year-round, six days a week, but not on Sundays when Eberly and his wife go to the early service at Brewster Baptist Church. A natty dresser, Eberly was told one day on his way out of church that he was one of the best dressers on Outer Cape Cod. 

Ever humble, Eberly smiled, then said in a low voice, almost a whisper: “I own a clothing store…”

And kept on walking… 

Visit Dan at Watson’s Men’s Store at 34 Main Street in Orleans or see their selections at watsonsmensstore.com.