International Mountain Equipment

If it’s not a big-box store and it’s not an independent specialty retailer, then what exactly is it? REI Co-op defies easy definition. It’s a builder of brands and a risk to them. It competes with smaller shops around the country while throwing its weight around to protect ...read more

When Christine Iksic's lifelong friend expressed an interest in wanting to accompany her on an overnight backpacking trip, it dawned on Iksic. She had assumed her friend wasn't interested in doing "outdoorsy" things, but really, she just didn't have the equipment or knowledge to ...read more

After leaving a management position at a mountain sports store in 1979, Rick Wilcox was looking for a new mission—and he didn’t have to look far. Right down the street in North Conway, New Hampshire, was the small International Mountain Equipment (IME), started five years ...read more