What's the best designed ski/climbing store in SLC?

[mb2778]

So I've decided to enlist the mag community for help in some brain storming...

I'm considering the possibility of opening up a ski mountaineering shop (details to follow) and really want to see what other stores have done in terms of design... I'll be in Salt Lake next week for some skiing so I figured I'd look around at what some shops have done out there.

As such, what can you guys recommend as far as shops with really well-designed interiors and displays? I'm looking for high-end looking shops mostly. Even none ski or climbing shops (other outdoor shops, bike shops, paddlesports, whatever) that you guys think have good interiors would be helpful.

put your heads together and help me out!

[plywood]

it`s not actually a store, it`s an office of a ski/snowboard school in saas fee, switzerland.



ok, there are a bit too much pictures in the left and the racks in the back disturb me a little...but it could be some sort of inspiration. i think if you want something highend you have to keep it clean. don`t stuff up the store with too much equipment. less is more and all this shit you need enough room to display the products. display them in a way we haven`t seen before.
but well...this of course depends on how much highend-highprice you want to be. and what kind of brands you`re selling. if you sell the normal brands this won`t work as it`s quite costy to have a well designed shop and not a warehouse...

an other example: a little more warehouse style but with a cool concept to: noway in zurich, switzerland. it`s a skateshop and they built in all those skatepark-style-features in their store. sadly i didn`t find any better pictures...but you can imagine... this shop got a golden thread and you instantly wanted to skate in their shop.

[schuss]

Not necessarily mountaineering related, but I ditto the above: Keep it clean. I don't want to see your stacks of gear sitting everywhere, having to dig for what I'm looking for. Also, if you're mountaineering/climbing focused, try to have demo/display stuff that actually serves it's purpose. Feeling a duke or dynafit binding with your hands is cool, it would be quite another thing if you could have them mounted to ski pieces that could fit in a track so people could try out the skinning mode.
You're dealing with (generally) a very discerning crowd, so the more you can let them get their hands on it in a useful way, the more likely they are to come into your shop.

[Teague]

EVO in Seattle has a top notch shop and has done a good job of entrenching themselves in the middle of the Seattle ski/snowboard scene from day one. You might check their blog for good ideas (http://culture.evogear.com/ ).

[land]

sports den on foothill is a nice place. its a big, well put together space, and it certainly isn't ugly.
i would say that a shop with knowledgable and helpful people, a good selection, good prices, and some clever marketing will make a shop sucessful regardless of design. that said, it is really nice to go to a place that is well thought out and nice to be in. also, its good to have something that other places don't have. the aforementioned "demo/display" idea is interesting and sounds like a great idea. IME in salt lake has a consignment shop in the back that is pretty cool. i would visit that place as well, its right around the corner from rei, and is a great climbing/mountaineering store with an awesome selection and good employees.

best of luck to you

[shannyla]

IME could hardly be considered a great example of shop design however, great shop and people tho they are. What they have going for them is a core range of gear and lots of knowledge.

I don't know that a ski/mountain shop has to be that well designed, look at the Lift House at the bottom of BCC, complete shit hole of a shop but a good range and good people generally. In fact I'd say out of ski and mountain shops in SLC only Black Diamond even trys a little bit, and even then... Personally I prefer a good range of gear to fancy store design but I'm probably not your target market market, you know the kind that spends money...

Couple of British shops worth a look are Mountain Intelligence and Mud Dock Cycleworks, pictures on their websites.

[zion zig zag]

IME could hardly be considered a great example of shop design however, great shop and people tho they are. What they have going for them is a core range of gear and lots of knowledge.

I agree. I don't care too much about the store design. I need good product and knowledgeable employees without attitude.

Ogden is severely lacking in a store that carries bc/climbing/mountaineering gear. Canyon sports tries to fill the niche but they never have anything in.