Getting your steps in on the show floor and browsing hundreds of booths allow OR-goers to survey the trends, see what’s new and exciting, and get inspired. But why not see it in action? Denver, Colorado is home to some amazing, independent #CoolShops. Take a break and head over to these local hot spots equipping Front Range adventurers.
Ozark Outdoor Supply opened its doors in 1972 with the most organic of intentions. “Some hippies had a vision that Arkansas needed an outdoor gear store,” said Owner Jim Frank. In the beginning, the store never really had any significant direction or management, Frank said. But ...read more
At 24 years old and fresh out of college, Jon Kahn was a parti-time ski and paddling bum. But by 1994, he knew he needed to get to work. “It was time to find a real job,” he says now. The answer Kahn came up with? Turn his passion into his career. “It seemed like there was an ...read more
Summers are shorter in Alaska, but that just means residents pack in the action while they can, said TRAX Outdoor Center Owner Mike Hajdukovich. “As soon as the snow starts melting, we play all day,” Hajdukovich said. “We go crazy. It’s summertime. It’s time to play. Alaskans ...read more
Standing out as a gear retailer in Denver, Colorado, is not easy. The capital of the Rockies is saturated with gear shops, from Goliaths like REI to all kinds of Davids—independent specialty retailers of bike, climb, paddle and ski gear. And yet, Outdoors Geek stands out. As a ...read more
The inspiration behind Shoes & Brews began in an all too common scene, especially in Colorado. A trio of friends at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, during one of their regular Saturday runs to local breweries, discussed starting a running shop with a taproom attached. ...read more
On a recent rainy Thursday afternoon, the front door of Feral Mountain Co. swung open and in walked two scruffy guys wearing backpacks stuffed with everything they’d need for a trip to Canyonlands. Hours before they set out for Utah, they stopped by the Denver store for a few ...read more
One of the most charming features of Feral Mountain Co. was its location in a small bungalow in a northern Denver, Colorado, neighborhood. It had a sweet front porch. The hardwood floors creaked. Each room had its own theme, such as the map room and pack room. But earlier this ...read more
Having just turned 10 years old, ski shop and online retailer Powder7 is ready for a logo makeover. The Golden, Colorado, shop launched the “Powder7 to the People” contest earlier this month with a heady grand prize: free skis and bindings every year for seven years. “For ...read more
Jim Smith, a lifelong climber and all-around outdoorsman, spent nearly two decades searching for just the right independent outdoor shop to purchase in order to turn his passion into a trade. “I’d been looking at shops, for, like, ever,” he said. “Since I’ve known you,” ...read more
