Black-owned outdoor business spotlight: Coral Cliffs Rock Climbing Gym
In honor of Black History Month, we’re spotlighting one Black-owned outdoor business per day. You can read the complete series here.
Owner: Abby Dione
Year founded: 2011
What they do
Coral Cliffs is an indoor rock climbing gym in Ft. Lauderdale that offers 87 top-roped routes, 25 lead routes, bouldering, slabs, aretes, overhangs, arches, and roofs. The routes change on a weekly basis, so visitors never get bored and remain challenged. Coral Cliffs welcomes new and experienced climbers with classes, private instruction, gear rental, and single-day or seven-visit passes.
Here are 10 tangible ways you can support Black-owned outdoor businesses.
What makes Coral Cliffs special in the outdoor industry?
Abby Dione became the first queer Black woman to own an indoor rock climbing gym when she opened Coral Cliffs 10 years ago. She has made her indoor climbing gym a safe space for BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, and young climbers. This has resulted in such things as a local youth rock climbing team and more women involved in the sport through their monthly, Lady’s Night. During the pandemic, Coral Cliffs has struggled to stay open, but the nation rallied to save the gym, raising over $120K through a GoFundMe campaign.
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