Avalanche Sports – Where work doesn’t feel like work in Breckenridge
A Passion for the Sport of Skiing lead to the Joy of Ownership in Avalanche Sports in Breckenridge, Colorado
By Shauna Farnell
Breckenridge locals, John Shand, Mark Storms and Rich Banach were typical twenty-somethings who moved to Summit County to work in a ski shop and ski as much as possible. That lasted for several years, until losing a close friend prompted them to rethink their situation.
What if they owned and ran their own ski shop?
“It was bar talk for years,” Shand says. “I walked past the store and there was a for sale sign. The rest is history.”
The trio bought Avalanche Sports in winter 2001, transforming from a winter ski shop to a bike shop in the summer. They were in the shop all the time.
“The first two to three years, if you got a day off a month, it was a big deal,” Shand says.
Over time, business grew and in 2010, they opened a second location on the north end of Main Street. Taking pride in setting up customers on well-matched equipment, they’ve stayed savvy on the latest gear and made rental service a major priority.
“We tell people, we don’t want to see you and you don’t want to see us until you’re done,” Shand says. “We take our time with the process.”
Winter and summer are equally busy these days. Both Shand and Storms say the most satisfying part of the business over the years is the fact that it’s theirs.
“Owning it if it’s a good year or bad year, it’s yours. You’re going to blame, in this case, three people, but you can’t say your boss sucks. You have to own it all the time. That’s what’s rewarding. You’re doing it,” Shand says.
“Working for yourself is huge,” Storms agrees. “I live in town, work for myself. It’s awesome.”
Although other friends warned them in the beginning that a three-partner business would implode, there have never been major disagreements among the three. In fact, they’re all still good friends. With a bar counter (filled with photos) and stools surrounding the tuning station, the shop is also a popular spot for friends to visit.
“The shop is a space where some of my oldest friendships were carved out,” Banach says.
“I never don’t want to come to work,” Storms adds. “When we first started, it was just the three of us. We’d work 8 to 8, but our friends would come help us out. Everyone still comes by, stops in and hangs out for a beer.
Still avid skiers and bikers themselves, the Avalanche Sports owners are gratified by introducing the sports they love to newbies.
“Probably the most rewarding experience is passing on the stoke for skiing and biking to my customers and employees. One of the best experiences is hearing how someone’s day was made,” Banach says.
“We always deal with people who are doing something fun. When people come back from renting mountain bikes, they’re fired up. It feels sort of like we’re spreading the love. We’re not getting rich, but we’re doing what we love,” Storms says.
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