Let's play pretend,,,, If you opened your own Ski shop in the PNW..........

[ExPowderSnob]

Let's play pretend,,,, You just quit your job, and decided on a career path change... If you opened your own Ski shop in the PNW, what skis/snowboards would you sling? What gear would you stand behind? What crap would get ridiculed right out the door?

[iriponsnow]

The money is in the bunny.

[Bunion 2020]

#1. I would not invest in opening a retail ski shop in this age.

[plugboots]

#1. I would not invest in opening a retail ski shop in this age.

Right?
Maybe a custom boot fitting 1-person shop. I'm sure the OP has worked for years fitting WC racers, so it's all good. I think Dr. Happy Feet retired.

[ntblanks]

I'd be a no-inventory shop with lots of demo skis (on loan from mfg) that gets/offers discount pricing on up-and-coming brands.

Value prop: make it easier for skiers to hand flex & demo cool brands you won't see in most demo fleets. e.g. WNDR, Shaggy, Whitedot, whatev.

That's all to get ppl in the door and build a cool brand. Make $ on services.

[stealurface831]

I'd be a used gear shop.

[SirVicSmasher]

just cater to the yuppy tourons. the shops i know that do that seem to do ok. but yeah pretty hard to go toe to toe Evo for lots of reasons but mainly cause they have robots

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

[3PinGrin]

sell drugs out the back door

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[stradissimo]

just cater to the yuppy tourons. the shops i know that do that seem to do ok. but yeah pretty hard to go toe to toe Evo for lots of reasons

The Bomber Blossom Bogner Store. I’m there! Take my money!

[whyturn]

2nd hand gear store for sure


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[abraham]

sell drugs out the back door

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

The red robin model

[stealurface831]

launder some puget area organized crime money, too

[ASmileyFace]

I'd be a used gear shop.

Kinda this/what ntblanks said.

Cosignment/Used Gear shop with select demos on more obscure brands like ON3P, WNDR, Praxis, whatever.

I doubt anyone would want to open a gear store in a town that won't already be competing with other shops. Those shops are going to already have a monopoly on the brands that sells well like DPS, Black Crow, Salomon, ect... Fuck trying to take brands from those other store, bring something new to the community. Make money on service, find a top notch boot fitter, and be the shop that will actually mount and tune skis in a resonable amount of time. Keep overhead and inventory low and just have fun.

At least that's what I would want to do. You might be able to make it work in the right area...

[m2711c]

Take all the six packs of beer that your customers are gonna give instead of money for your work and open a beer store instead.












step three, profit!

[Ed el Loco]

These guys all ready did it

https://wonderlandgearexchange.com


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Conundrum]

If you’re serious about making piles of money smaller, let’s have some fun. I’m in.

[Norseman]

Just go skiing more.

[thefortrees]

Just go skiing more.

You Quit your job just as ski season is about to start? Don’t be stupid and ruin the season by getting a job

[teamdirt]

What makes you think that you will get territory over someone else’s trade deal?

[wickstad]

Let's play pretend,,,, You just quit your job, and decided on a career path change... If you opened your own Ski shop in the PNW, what skis/snowboards would you sling? What gear would you stand behind? What crap would get ridiculed right out the door?

depends on where I guess. Everett Mall Way?

[Conundrum]

Probably a clear keystone margin with edgy wedgies. The rest is gravy.

[Eluder]

What makes you think that you will get territory over someone else’s trade deal?

Territory lines are pretty open if you have a legit shop, it takes a little work for sure but if your the shop they want to be in they will open you. The only problem with this is when you get good you lose your time to ski...

[FJ62]

Open the "cool" shop where the money is ... on the Eastside of Seattle. The bar is low and there's no Evo in sight. Appeal to the rooftop tent crowd. Sell them stuff that just isn't ski related, too.

Have at least one good boot fitter and an easy way to make an appointment with him/her (who am I kidding... it's always a him). Maybe offer outdoor bootfitting during COVID under a tent. Sell beer and growlers to go, stock some Yeti coolers, maybe some new LPs for the Pass Life turntables and some fly fish essentials.

Put an outdoor free-to-use tuning station in the parking lot (20 corners brewing in Woodinville has one, if you need inspiration), but sell the wax/ptex/edging toys. Show old Stump movies on projector screen. Make the MSFT crowd feel core again.

Stock the usual ski suspects and some indie brands but don't go overboard. Just be a friendly place to hang out and grab a beer and see the new stuff.

Do it and I will totally buy a beer and bar of wax from your store before you go out of business. I promise!

[gregL]

#1. I would not invest in opening a retail ski shop in this age.

3rd-ed. Without a strong Internet presence and the cost advantage of being a big and established account you'll be swimming upstream from day # 1, and there won't be that many days to follow.

1-person bootfitting/tuning shop, as plugboots suggests, might be an exception if you have tools and a reputation already.

[Mofro261]

Got a post card that World Cup in Bellevue is hanging it up end of the month. How good is your tune-fu?