The Great Outdoors

Outfitters hope patrons go take a hike, bike or engage in whatever other outdoor activity suits their fancy

Holding 2-year-old Parker in his arms, Jamie Murphy, 32, wasn’t shopping at the Alpine Shop for a new kayak, camping gear, ski jacket, hiking boots or travel accessories.

Instead, Murphy put cash on the counter for some new pants and shirts — “outdoor stuff.”

Like many Alpine customers, Murphy shops at Alpine because he likes to wear outdoor clothing, not just when he’s outdoors, but to work. As a claims adjuster, he wears business casual wear to work every day, and, he said, “Inexpensive khakis wear out so fast.”

He also sees himself as outdoor person who enjoys hiking and mountain biking, so the outdoor clothing appeals to him. Murphy also lived in Montana and Alaska, where, he said, everyone wears brands like Patagonia and The North Face.

This trend of wearing sports clothing as everyday clothing is one of the reasons why clothing accounts for more than half the Alpine Shop’s sales, said store manager Jeremiah Wade, who took his position in December 2005.

Housed in a former theater, the Alpine Shop will offer an even wider selection once its renovation is complete in October.

People have realized that fabrics designed to keep you comfortable on the trail or in a kayak are comfortable in the office, too, Wade said.

The purchase of sports clothing was part of the $79 million spent on sporting goods in 2003, a figure that represented 2.3 percent of all retail sales in the United States, according to the 2006 U.S. Statistic Abstract, a publication of the U.S. Census Bureau. Although several Columbia sporting goods stores report increased sales during the last several years, overall the sales of these items have held essentially steady as a percentage of retail sales since 1995.

But on Broadway, business is brisk at The Alpine Shop, which also has two stores in St. Louis. The racks now include such items as clothing made from 100 percent beachwood — a fabric that’s soft and silky and 100 percent eco-friendly, Wade said.

“We’re trying to be on the cutting edge with things like that,” he said.

The Alpine Shop also plans to expand its other offerings, including travel accessories that vary from see-through bags to help people through security checks to air compression bags to help you pack more in less space.

The store will also have a full-service ski shop during the winter and increase its footwear offerings. The entire staff received Phil Orien boot-fitting training. Now in 20 to 30 minutes, customers can receive a guaranteed boot fitting.

“That shoe will fit you like a glove,” said Wade. And if you’ve got shoes already that aren’t comfortable, bring them in. “There are lots of cool things we can do to make them more comfortable,” Wade said.

The main reason, however, to shop Alpine, said Wade, is to get the right sports gear. “If you’ve got the wrong equipment, your whole weekend is shot,” he said.

His staff knows what works because everyone who works there “is truly into the sport and enjoying outdoors,” Wade said.

Bike business is booming at Walt’s

Ali Julian, 20, and Troy Thompson, 21, stopped by Walt’s Bicycle Fitness & Wilderness Co. for a new backpack for Julian, but they also wanted to check out equipment for kayaking.

The two were driving by the intersection of Rogers and College streets when they decided to stop into the store. Julian and Thompson began biking this spring and plan to start kayaking and wanted to see what’s available for their new endeavors.

Julian and Thompson have realized what store manager John Shannon proclaims: “We’re not just a bike store. We’re a kayaking, camping, adventure store.”

Although biking is the 40-year-old store’s mainstay, Shannon noted, “People who like outdoor activities also like the lifestyle of one outdoor sport and often go from biking to mountain biking to kayaking or to another sport.”

Along those lines, Walt’s expanded its rental service on Sept. 1 so customers may try camping, biking or backpacking without making a major investment. Rentals now include bikes, child carriers, sleeping bags, camp stoves and backpacks.

As for goods for purchase, Walt’s offers everything from sleeping bags for dogs to rock climbing gear.

Yet, Shannon notes, the goal of Walt’s goes beyond selling sports equipment.

“We are a means for people to accomplish their dreams, whether it’s biking, backpacking, paddling, whatever they want to do,” Shannon said.

To help people do what they want to do, the store will boast a 12-foot kiosk with information on biking trails, safe bike routes and other information. If someone comes in and buys a bike, climbing equipment or other sports equipment but they don’t know where or how to use it, Shannon said, “We’ve done you a disservice.”

Although customers include people like Julian and Thompson, they also include people like Jerry Angdisen, 36, who has recently taken up biking again after a 10-year hiatus.

Angdisen bought his bike on eBay this spring but brought it to Walt’s for a tune-up before he hit the road. He said he bought his bike over the Internet but enjoys the personal interaction at Walt’s, the opportunity to ask questions and get help. “I’m old school that way,” Angdisen said.

As part of its effort to help people get back into biking, Walt’s began to offer Wednesday night rides at Rock Bridge State Park during warm weather. The rides, started two years ago, range from 3 to 12 miles and include Walt’s staff members to help people if something happens to their bike. “If there is a problem, it’s more likely to occur on the trail than sitting around in the store,” Shannon said.

Shannon expects Walt’s biking business to continue to grow along with Columbia and the increased interest in the Katy Trail.

“Columbia is a nice get away from St. Louis and Kansas City,” said Shannon.

Many people who come to Walt’s to get outfitted are drawn by its longtime existence, custom bike fitting and guarantee that they’ll never charge for a tune-up or labor on a bike purchased there.

“People want quality,” Shannon said. “They’re tired of disposable items.”

The store has seen steady, double-digit growth in earnings during the last several years and has continued to expand its offerings. Four years ago, the store added a fitness equipment area and put an equipment manager on staff three years ago. The store offers free delivery, set-up and maintenance.

“It’s a new venture for us,” Shannon said.

And like The Alpine Shop, the store hopes to attract more than the hardcore sports fan. “Just because you don’t bike doesn’t mean you can’t buy socks from us or other clothing from us,” Shannon said.

Tryathletics: the name matches the business concept

Tryathletics on Chapel Hill near Forum opened in 1986, playing off owner’s Steve Stoneciper-Fisher’s three main sports — running, swimming and biking — and a play on words that sums up his approach to sports: try it.

The store’s main offering is footwear, especially running shoes, again reflecting Stoneciper-Fisher’s main interest, but he notes, “We do a fair amount of cycling, too.”
He also sees customers as more than shoppers.

The relationship between Tryathletics and a customer is cooperative. “They want the right item and we’re going to help them find the right item,” Stoneciper-Fisher said.

He and his employees can help their customers find the right gear because they are athletes as well, often participating in the competitive events along side the people they serve.

“We live and breathe this stuff just like our customers,” he said.

MC Sports places its focus on service

Cindy Schoolcraft cruised the aisles of MC Sports looking for soccer shoes for her twin 12-year-old sons Cameron and Christian.

“They’ve got quite a selection here,” Schoolcraft said of the Columbia Mall store. And when she wasn’t sure about whether her son needed youth or men’s shoes, a staff member helped her find what she needed. “They help you out,” she said.

Schoolcraft should know. She’s been shopping MC Sports for years, first for her daughter’s sports activities and now for her sons.

“I like the selection and it suits my needs,” she said.

With 22,000 square feet, the store stocks supplies for almost every sport from golf to soccer to walking to camping. Located in the Columbia Mall, the local store is one of 72 stores in eight states. MC Sports, which opened in the mall in 1991, doubled its size in 1996 to its present size.

During the past 10 years, the store’s sales have increased about 8 percent a year, said store manager Wayne Townley, who moved from the Jefferson City store to the Columbia store a year ago. He attributes the strong sales of the store to the Senior State Games and the Show-Me State Games.

“We’re one of the big sponsors of the Show-Me State Games,” Townley said.
During the Show-Me weekends, sales double with customers stopping in for baseball bats, softball equipment and gloves and cleats.

Townley said he doesn’t expect sales to dip anytime soon. Between moms shopping for their children’s sports, Columbia’s college students add to the store’s sales. The Columbia store leads the company in backpack and footwear sales.

As for his focus, Townley said the most important thing is customer service, from helping a mom who might not know much about soccer realize her child might need shin guards as well as shoes to helping a woman get the right kind of running gear.

“Customer service is pretty much everything,” Townley said.

Bass Pro Shops covers complete outdoor experience
Opened in April 2005, Bass Pro Shops has been in the news lately as investors look at ways to fill up the 225-acre, CenterState Crossing development that the store anchors.

Despite the open space around the store near Highway 63, store manager David Smith said the store’s sales are very good. The local store is one of 33 Bass Pro Shops; the company is headquartered in Springfield. The company expects to open six other stores in 2006, according to its Web site.

With 82,000 square feet, the Columbia store opened with a focus on hunting equipment and also provides equipment for fishing, camping and boating. In response to Columbia’s college crowd, Bass Pro also offers a wide range of apparel and footwear.

In an effort to get the word out about the store this fall, Bass Pro began tailgating at University of Missouri football games — cooking up catfish and displaying boats and ATVs.

Customers at Bass Pro cut across all skill levels and genders, Smith said, from people who have never fished before to avid outdoorsmen. The store offers hunter safety classes and participants include men, women and children.

“Our sales have grown in all categories from last year,” Smith said. “We’ll be here next year.”

The Alpine Shop
1102 E. Broadway
Columbia, MO 65201
http://www.alpineshop.com
817-2955
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

Bass Pro Shops
3101 Bass Pro Drive
Columbia, MO 65202
http://www.basspro.com
886-7101
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

MC Sports
228 Columbia Mall
2300 Bernadette Drive
Columbia, MO 65203
http://www.mcsports.com
445-9481
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

Tryathletics
1605 Chapel Hill Road
Columbia, MO 65203
http://www.tryathletics.com
447-2453
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

Walt’s Bicycle Fitness & Wilderness Co.
1217 Rogers
Columbia, MO 65201
http://www.waltsbikeshop.com
886-9258
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday