SIA The Intelligent Partner - Summer 2007 - (Page 23)

[in winter sports retail] were going out of business. I saw a void. I wanted to create a community based urban retail environment that sold not just gear but streetwear, art, music. I opened 200 accounts within 6-8 months. How do we as an industry continue to build excitement around a sport that hasn’t seen much participation in years? The sports and products we represent are important. We want to be involved with the kind of sports that are always changing. Everything changes so quick – you have to be on it.There’s a lot of progression and we get everyone on the team involved in the process. Is there any one person in the industry who has had a large impact on you? Why? Not really a person but from a retail perspective – Traction [a Seattle retailer started by founders of Ride and now out of business] set a great example of combining lifestyle with snowboard. They brought more of an urban mix into the scene. d How do you continue to build a business that can sustain itself even after tough seasons such as this past one? You have to have a mix that makes sense to the customer and something that brings in the customer year round. I saw that retailers were going out of business. Combo businesses like skate/snowboard were becoming dated and none of them really had a web presence. If we had a bad winter it wouldn’t be good. I didn’t want to be insulated geographically. Three years ago, we sold 70 percent of skis East of the Mississippi. TM R TIERNEY Buy 3 T-Boards and get 1 FREE KURT TIERNEY 815 Sanborn, Palatine, IL 60074 Ph: 800.504.3075 E-mail: ktierney@tierneyrides.com www.tierneyrides.com RIDES TM What makes your store more unique than others? Our clients are young urban professionals – people who love mountains but also love what the city 332265_Tierney.indd has to offer. We try to build a community around the brands to create an environment for them. We’re good about honing in on products that make sense. 1 5/31/07 2:52:12 PM What was the top selling product for you this last season and what do you anticipate will be a top seller for the coming season? Streetwear is our #1 category – if you walk into the store – there is tons of streetwear. We want to carry well-designed stuff from small vendors that is unique. We try to be in the middle – we don’t want to be super wealthy. [Evogear’s brands include Artful Dodger, Limited Edition Quiksilver, Mek, Oakley.) Not all sheep are created equal. Fortunately, neither is yarn. At Amtex, we’re passionate about our products. That’s why we’re the only manufacturer in North America to offer Suessen EliTe® technology — an advanced spinning system that creates a softer, stronger, less ‘hairy’ yarn. CASHMERE • SILK • Amtex has the custom spinning expertise to provide the colour, count or twist you require quickly and at a competitive price. With all that, it’s not surprising that Amtex always stands out from the competition. WOOL • SUPERFINE MERINO 1 8 6 6 4 6 0 YA R N • w w w. a m t e x y a r n s . c o m | SIA | T.I.P. | SUMMER 2007 | 333464_Amtex.indd 1 23 6/11/07 10:43:42 AM http://www.tierneyrides.com http://www.tierneyrides.com http://www.amtexyarns.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SIA The Intelligent Partner - Summer 2007

Contents Word off the Slopes SIA Staff Contributors SIA Business SIA Board of Directors Greening the Biz Want Instant Success? Just Add Snow Out and About Day in the Life – Supplier Day in the Life – Retailer Day in the Life – Rep Products & Services Index to Advertisers

SIA The Intelligent Partner - Summer 2007

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