#CoolShop

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web' Ski season contingency plans: The town council of Breckenridge, Colorado, met this week to discuss ways to entice winter tourists that don’t involve skiing, in case the pandemic shuts down resorts again. [Summit Daily] ...read more

Just a few short years ago, 34-year-old Isaiah Price had no idea he would end up making his living in the outdoor industry, much less owning his own business. As recently as 2015, Price was working as a full-time pilot with no experience selling outdoor gear. He was also, he ...read more

As shop owner Andrew Drummond will tell you, Ski the Whites happened purely by accident. “I never envisioned becoming a retailer,” Drummond said of founding his year-round ski, bike, and run shop with two locations in Jackson, New Hampshire. What he did want to do was ski. ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web What you can do right now: This list of resources can help outdoor industry professionals educate themselves about Black Lives Matter and become better allies to those fighting for justice and inclusion. [The Trek] ...read more

The idea for The Cleveland Outpost was hatched less than a year ago. Josh Scott, an outdoor industry professional with experience in specialty retail, was on vacation with his partner Hannah Kelling, an outdoor educator and camp counselor, in South Carolina. Sitting on the porch ...read more

In the late 1980s, when Bob Collins founded the original Appalachian Outfitters in a strip mall in Canton, Ohio, specialty gear shops in the midwest were few and far between. A salesman for the chemical industry, Collins knew outdoor equipment only from his own pursuits: ...read more

Aside form world-class mountain biking trails and spectacular scenery, Moab, Utah, has another gem: GearHeads Outdoor Store. Founded 22 years ago by Doug and Greg Kennedy, and now run by younger brother Steve, this quirky shop has become a Moab institution thanks to its vast ...read more

Dear friends and colleagues, As we enter an uncertain period for our families, businesses, and country, I first want to express concern for your safety and health. There’s nothing more important at the moment, and while we go forward with our mission to inform, educate, and ...read more

The people have spoken. One month ago, we asked you to vote on the coolest retail shop in the nation from our list of 15 standouts featured in last year’s #CoolShop column. We received more than 42,000 votes—the largest poll participation in SNEWS history—and the results are in. ...read more

Here are today's top headlines. That’s a wrap: Voting closes today for our 2020 #CoolShop Award, with an announcement of the winner coming this Friday. The shop with the most votes from our list of 15 finalists will win $500 to throw a staff appreciation party, a custom banner ...read more

In 2019, we shone the spotlight on 12 standout specialty outdoor stores across the country in our #CoolShops column. From matching prices online to offering free drinking water to preserving their town's history, these shops are seriously killing it at retail. And through our ...read more

For anyone climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains in New York, stopping at Rock and Snow in New Paltz isn't an option—it's mandatory. As one of the oldest specialty climbing gear shops in the country, only minutes from The Gunks, it's an important piece of climbing history. The ...read more

In the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, outdoor lovers take refuge in a naturally-lit, well-curated gear store, Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co., stocking only the most fashionable and functional products. KEEN, Mystery Ranch, Mammut, and Fjällräven blend tastefully ...read more

Every day is an adventure for Brittney and Jonathan Meier, who opened Wanderlust Outfitters in September 2016 in St. Joseph, Michigan. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, they're surrounded by forests, streams, and other natural wonders, perfect for outdoor ...read more

Celebrating 45 years in business, Skinny Skis is a Jackson Hole institution. It first specialized in Nordic and cross-country skis, but has since expanded to serve runners, mountaineers, and other high-endurance and high-performance athletes living in and visiting the resort ...read more

In 2009, Jahmicah Dawes and his college friend embarked on a road trip from their home in Texas to California in a 1986 Datsun truck. His friend's only rule was that they couldn't stay in hotels. Dawes thought he meant they'd be staying at friends' houses—not camping. Sleeping ...read more

In 1986, Bob McCain thought Jackson, Mississippi, ought to have its own outdoor equipment shop. His home state might not have massive mountains, but trails, waterways, hill, and views are plentiful. Buffalo Peak Outfitters is now in its 33rd year, as a Grassroots Outdoor Alliance ...read more

It's a regular Sunday morning in Bend, Oregon's old Box Factory building: pairs eat sweet and savory treats at Foxtail Bakeshop & Kitchen, men sit still as hairdressers trim around their ears at West Side Barber Shop, and groups of people sift through consignment backpacks, kayak ...read more

The first time Dan Epstein visited his wife's family's outdoor store, Champaign Surplus, he left daydreaming about leaving his corporate finance job and one day wearing his favorite gear to work. The store was originally an appliance and surplus shop, opened in 1947 by Shira ...read more

Located on the shores of its namesake lake, Whitefish, Montana, is known for its dramatic outdoor vistas. But in the charming resort town, The Toggery has become its own kind of destination. Originally opened as Frank’s Shirt Shop in 1947 by Frank and Jessie Stephens, the store ...read more

For every square foot of Gearheads Outdoor Store, there's dozens more SKUs of gear. Snowshoes, backpacks, and sleeping pads hang from the ceiling. Camp mugs, footwear, and do-dads decorate the walls. What might be classified as a neat-freak's nightmare is what Gearheads is best ...read more

Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at [email protected]. David Lama, Jess Roskelley, and Hansjörg Auer—three renowned alpinists—are presumed dead after an avalanche swept over them in Canada. As of now, there has been ...read more

When a climber, a whitewater paddler, an insurance guy, and a guy with a little bit of money got together in 1975, they started High Country Outfitters along the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, Georgia. As the only outdoor shop in the area at the time, business boomed and ...read more

Water lapping and boats bumping against the docks. The sun's reflection shimmering and dancing across the water. The smell of warm plastic kayaks and seafood. Located in the idyllic fishing village of Wickford in the ocean state, kayaking isn't just a hobby—it's a lifestyle. ...read more