Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2017 - 52

THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION ECONOMY
HAS FINALLY
COME OF AGE.

According to Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) research (see page
26), consumers spend roughly $887 billion annually on biking, camping, fishing, hunting, motorcycling, off-roading, snow sports, trail
sports, water sports, and wildlife viewing, but the federal government
refused to quantify the outdoor industry as a sector of the American
economy-until the end of last year. In December, President Obama
inked his signature on the REC Act, a bipartisan bill that passed unanimously in Congress in this age of bitter party divisions. The act dictates
that outdoor recreation will be included in the federal government's
tally of national Gross Domestic Product. That accounting finally gives
the outdoor industry a seat at the big kids' table, along with traditional
extractive industries, when it comes to lobbying Congress.
The rosy economic numbers have real relevance on the ground.
While those in the industry have built brands and services around the
demands of people who live and play in the outdoors, not everyone in
small town America understands how a business or government or
community can profit and even thrive by embracing outdoor sports
junkies. Who's going to get rich off of mountain biking? Why should we
preserve open space and natural resources around our cities and towns
instead of drilling for oil? Here's a persuasive answer for those who
aren't interested in hearing an environmental take: Americans spend
more on outdoor recreation than they do on gasoline.
Below, we highlight five small towns, anchored by specialty outdoor
retail stores, that have embraced outdoor recreation as an integral part
of their economies and continue to prove that playing on trails and
rocks and rivers is more than healthy and fun; it's also good business.

B U E N A V I S TA
COLORADO

Redefining Main Street
L O C AT E D I N T H E H E A RT O F T H E

Arkansas River Valley and surrounded
by the 14,000-foot Collegiate Peaks of the
Sawatch Range, the San Isabel National
Forest, and multiple natural hot springs,
Buena Vista (population 2,700) contains
all the natural resources you would want
for a major adventure hub-including the

52 OUTDOOR RETAILER

/ Summer 2017

BIG PAYOFF
The sheer granite of the
Adirondacks draws
climbers to New York's
wild spaces, so the
town of Keene Valley
has doubled down on
catering to recreation.

21,586 acres of the newly designated Browns
Canyon National Monument.
The recreation economy first took off
in Buena Vista decades ago because of the
world-class rafting opportunities on the
Arkansas River through Browns Canyon.
It has only grown with the creation of the
new monument in 2015 and a willingness to
base the economy of the town on recreation.
Ironically, the financial crisis in 2008 only
fueled the growth of the town.
Hunter Hovenga, Buena Vista's town
AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer who is here to
help create a sustainable economy, says that
Colorado experienced above-average popula-

Sam Aiken, courtesy CKS Paddlefest (previous spread), Emily Drinkwater (this page)

Feature .03

tion growth as people began to value the things
that money can't buy: the quality of life.
"Our town government advocates for
outdoor recreation via our Recreation and
Trails departments," Hovenga says. "We expedite the permitting process for all events
in town, including the major ones that are
related to outdoor recreation."
One of those is a whitewater festival founded by local retailer CKS Main Street, a paddling specialty store that's been around since
the 1970s. CKS Main Street's co-owner Megan
Kingman agrees that government support is
huge, but that the "shining stars" in the community are the local businesses, breweries,
and restaurants, who sponsor Paddlefest, because they value the demographic these events
bring to the area. Eddyline, a local restaurant
and brewery with beers named River Runners,
Epic Day, Crank Yanker, and Boater Beer, sponsors the Paddlefest, along with Buena Vista
Roastery, a coffee purveyor with offerings
named River Blend and Confluence.
"Those who use and support our trails, rivers, and open spaces are always welcomed by
local businesses," says Kingman.
This attitude of inclusivity led to the creation of South Main, a "new urbanism" neighborhood designed by kayakers with a river
park at its center. Paddling siblings Jed and
Katie Selby saved the 41 acres of land that
is now South Main from development that
would have privatized public river access forever. The Selbys saw a picture that was bigger
than mere profit. They purchased the land to
create a community where kayakers could walk
out of their houses to play, and they donated the
three-acre river corridor to the town as permanent public open space.
Buena Vista thrives because it embraces
anyone interested in any type of outdoor recreation at any level. In fact, hiking and nature
walking are some of the most popular activities here, and the chamber of commerce is
quick to highlight outfitters for zip line tours,
biking, and camping.
"Some places seem to direct their focus
on a particular niche, such as cycling," says
Hovenga. "But it's important that other groups
who can contribute to the sustainable expansion of the recreation economy not be ostracized in the process. Everyone in town can
bring something to the table and utilize specific strengths to move forward with the right
solutions that grow the industry for everyone."
Beyond CKS, Buena Vista retailers offer
everything an outdoor enthusiast needs. The

Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2017

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