You, or at least somebody you know, has been either completely or partially vaccinated by this point.  It's awesome.  Although there are surely issues with the vaccine rollout, about 2000 people a day here in Vermont are able to get their shots.  That number is only going to increase with the availability of more vaccines, as well as the implementation of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and it's single shot application.  Coinciding with spring, it's uplifting, refreshing, and it begins to give a feeling of renewal and a shiny new start. Super positive vibes go along with that, and we are all in need of a huge dose of that.  For the outdoor people...we're still going to have some issues moving forward, and some of them pretty damn long lasting.

Without question, a major part of our winter business comes in the from of rentals.  Skis, snowboards, helmets, snowshoes, and this year uphill or A/T rentals.  We have the largest and most up to date rental fleet of any shop in the area.  We've built a very successful and user friendly online rental reservation system that allows customers to reserve and pay for rentals in advance.  Once reserved we pull the equipment, set it up, and have it waiting on the customer when they arrive.  All the customer needs to do is make sure the boots fit and they're on their way.

​The transition from summer into autumn in Vermont during COVID has been as weird as it has been everywhere else, I suppose.  Interestingly, our sales have been up and we have been very busy throughout the COVID debacle.  We're extremely grateful for the patronage and customer loyalty we've seen over the past several months.  It's allowed us to keep the shop running, our staff employed, and things operating almost as usual.

​Wow.  Just holy shit wow.  Things are so weird right now.  Ski season died, the world is in lockdown, and you don't know if you should verbally assault people who break your 6 foot bubble, or forgive them because everyone is under the same stress right now.  There just isn't any frame of reference anymore. Welcome to the new normal!

Ever popped into a ski shop, found exactly what you wanted, but it turns out to be a little pricier than expected?  It's happened to all of us at one point or another.  Sometimes there is some room for movement on the price, sometimes there isn't.  Navigating the discount request can be tricky and maybe even intimidating for some people.  If you're unsure whether you should even ask for a discount, read on and grab some tips on what, and what not, to do to get that piece of gear just a little bit cheaper. ​

​I've been in hundreds of ski shops in my journeys through recreational skiing and around the industry.  I remember as a kid walking into shops and smelling P-Tex and wax and wandering through the maze of clothing racks, eventually ending up at the ski wall staring at the new gear lit up by the flood lights from the ceiling.  I can also remember standing there staring at the new skis and not knowing what I was looking at except that they looked a hell of a lot cooler than my season lease set up.