Warm light streams from the wooden double doors of the Spokane Alpine Haus. Sitting on top of a small hill in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood, inside the gates is a subtle collage of skis and their accessories, a colorful and friendly staff of employees, and enough outerwear to make it happen. blush an eskimo.
Dig a little longer and you’re sure to stumble upon Drew Harding or his wife, Rachel. Organized chaos is an apt phrase to describe skiing even in its simplest form, and running a ski and snowboard shop is no different.
The two moved from Boise, Idaho, to Spokane to return to Drew’s hometown after leaving the Helly Hansen store run by Rachel and managed by Drew in Boise.
A little over a year passed and the two were suddenly reinstated in the ski industry. A family friend was one of four silent associates who funded the former owner of the Alpine Haus.
With new ownership looming, the friend presented the opportunity to both. The couple jumped into the retail fray once again.
“It was a fun industry to be a part of,†Drew said. “I mean, at the end of the day you’re selling toys. You are selling people fun, something that they’re going to spend their discretionary income on to go out and do their days off.
Alpine Haus has a variety of clothing in its store.
A shift in the local ski scene prompted the Alpine Haus to stock more tech and backcountry gear as the Mountain Gear store closed for good in 2020 in part due to the growing presence of retailers. online reducing their profit margins.
The closure of Mountain Gear is not necessarily a unique phenomenon for the Inland Northwest ski scene. As small store owners age, stores reach their logical conclusion and close their doors.
Unlike other industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, winter sports have skyrocketed in popularity.
“There are a lot of new families whose world has changed,†Drew said. “They saw skiing as something that they could go out and do when the rest of the world was closed. A lot of those people who we thought were occasional skiers have now invested in that and said there was no lucky they wouldn’t go skiing every winter now.
The store took this opportunity to reach new customers by supplying a wider range of products including paddle boards and surfboards for summer recreation.
“We were the only thing that could get people out,†Drew said. “During the pandemic, you look at a bicycle shop. You were an essential business. You are allowed to stay open to service people’s transportation. Once we got through that first round of closure, it was an escape. . “
The store had the opportunity to build more muscle by advertising rental programs for both juniors and adults, in addition to a wide selection of rentals and settings, boot adjustments and regular maintenance. .
“If we can’t provide good customer service, why would anyone else want to come back to us, then our focus is on making sure customers get what they need, not what we want to sell them? “said Drew. “If it’s not good for the customer, it’s not good for us to talk about it.
At the center of the customer experience is ski trainer Fred Nowland. Nowland has been treating Alpine Haus customers since 2004. Prior to that, he ran the Rossignol Test Center on Mount Hood in addition to spending summers settling for the US Ski Team and Rossignol in the 90s.
Although the Alpine Haus nickname implies a specialization in skiing, Rachel and Drew have made a concerted effort to expand their offerings to encompass all mountain interests.
“When we bought the store, the store didn’t have a lot of snowboarding presence,†Drew said. “It’s something we’ve built over the past six years. When we first bought it, there weren’t a lot of clothing options here. Now you call it, clothes like a Quiksilver coat cheaper up to an Arc’teryx jacket. Our goal is to score. “
With five ski resorts within two hours of the metro, the Northwest Interior’s ski scene is surprisingly vibrant. While Spokane doesn’t reflect the traditional feel of a ski town like Aspen, Colorado, or Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a 2017 Powder Magazine article proclaimed Spokane as America’s Next Best Skiing Destination because communities ski satellites become the only fiscally feasible ones. way to hit the slopes.
“Most of these places are no longer affordable,†Drew said. “You go to Tahoe and the average house price is a million dollars. Who can afford that to ski?
Although a pandemic has pushed people to the mountains and the outdoors, the exclusivity and high price of the sticker from those same mountains threatens the accessibility of the sport.
Nevertheless, the Alpine Haus strives to open the mountains to everyone through its rental program which provides children with equipment to enjoy the free skiing offered by Mount Spokane.
“It is certainly the highest quality [shop]”said Paal Bredal, former employee and current vice president of the GU Ski and Snowboard Club.” The equipment they sell is just the best. Their slogan is “The Premier Ski Shop in Spokane”, and it is absolutely true. “
Now in its 45th year of operation, the Spokane Alpine Haus has grown into a family affair. Drew often sees second and third generation customers poetically waxing their first pair of Alpine Haus skis decades ago.
“We have something for everyone, depending on your budget or the tech part you’re looking for,†Drew said. “At the end of the day, we’re just trying to help people slide on the snow. Whether on a board or on skis, who cares? “
Visit Spokane Alpine Haus at 2925 S. Regal St. or follow @thespokanealpinehaus on Instagram to connect.
