Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2018 - 39

and, Marinna adds, "Dad would jokingly watch
whole focus on ski and winter sports came from
me through binoculars and call to ask, 'Who's
the fact that we all loved winter," says Larry. "And
that boy you're walking with?' " "Dad!" she'd say,
skiing was and is a major part of our lives." They
"It's my friend Lauren."
wanted to share that love with local kids, so durThe Round House is and has been a kind
ing the mid-70s, with the help of McDonald's,
of totem carved with imKarst Stage, and the Bridger
portant Merkel family moBowl Ski School, they started
THEYACTED ON THEIR
ments. When Jennifer was
a program that cost families
two, she tripped into a conHUNCH, OPENING THE $5 per child for six weeks and
struction area in the store
included gear, breakfast, a
ROUND HOUSE, WITH
and a nail went through
ride, a lift ticket, and a lesson.
FOAM PANELS AND A
her palm. All the kids' ski
It was the first kids' ski proWOOD FOUNDATION
races, BMX races, basketgram in the Gallatin Valley
CONSTRUCTED BY
and it was well received beball games, and 4H events
MSU
ARCHITECTURE
were staged from the Round
cause so many families could
House. It aligned perfectly
afford it.
STUDENTS, IN 1971.
then with the shop's focus
About one busload of area
on local schoolkids, who-
youth did the first program.
without Larry and Rita's generosity, and that
A session later, they filled three buses. But a
of a few other Bozeman businesses-may have
greater measure of the program's success was
never learned to ski.
how it turned the kid participants into skiers
who now have their own kids and grandkids.
During the '70s and '80s in Montana, only
"I still know some of the originals," says Rita.
mostly well-to-do families skied. But the elder
Merkels understood the power of spending the
"They come to the Round House and bring their
long, snowy months of winter outdoors. "Our
families. We've come full circle."

GROWING UP MERKEL
Jennifer Merkel poses at her parents' home outside
Bozeman (left). Larry Merkel sits in his office at Round
House Ski and Sports (top). Sister Marinna Merkel and
brother Ryan Merkel share a moment on the ski boot
fitting station at Round House (bottom). Chalet Sports is
a downtown Bozeman landmark (opposite page).

The Round House continues its commitment to area kids through its junior lease program. Skis, boots, and bindings cost $125 for
the season (see page 72). The store also provides skis for hundreds of special-needs kids
across the state who learn to ski through a
program called Eagle Mount. Chalet Sports
also offers a junior lease program. The last
Saturday of September, the Round House
kicks off its program; the Chalet a week later.
Between the two shops, they sell hundreds of
leases in the first week.
It's one of the few things the two shops have
in common. While the more traditional Round
House is Ground Zero for Larry and Rita (in
terms of how many hours they spend there);
trendier Chalet Sports is Jennifer's positive
anchor (though she refuses to take credit for
its success, insisting that it depends not just

Winter 2018 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 39

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2018