ORIGIN STORY
running such a successful store for more than ve decades, Hollenbeck says he never gave it much thought. “For much of our history, I was just trying to have fun in the outdoors and survive the immediate future,” he says, adding his success comes from “looking forward to coming to work every day and creating a place where everyone feels the same way.” His company’s vision, he adds, established what they try to do as both a retailer and community member. “We’re here to help moms and dads introduce their kids to the outdoors, after their moms and dads did the same thing decades before,” he says. The key is focusing on the customer. “We want our custom- ers to feel like family when they come in,” he says. “I’ve always said, ‘Nobody who works here is authorized to send a customer away unhappy.’ What gets lost in focusing on the customer is how that a ects what we carry. We have to be conscious of who our customers are and make sure our buys are curated for them. It’s not easy but is just as vital. Outdoor products are available every- where, but our point of di eren- tiation is the experience guests receive when they shop with us.” The customers appreciate this attitude and so do Hollenbeck’s employees, whom, if they don’t stick around forever, such as 20-year Kirkwood store manager Angie Bono, go on to bigger po- sitions in the outdoor industry— Eddie Bauer CEO Tim Bantle worked at Alpine Shop in the 1990s, and The North Face sales manager Peter Carleton is also a former manager of the Kirkwood store. It all comes down to loving what you do and sharing that with others. “I nd spirituality whenever I’m outside, and I just want everyone to have those kinds of experiences,” says Hol- lenbeck. —Eugene Buchanan
to high-quality gear, experienced salespeople, and understanding its customers. WHILE ALPINE SHOP’S STORES were a ected by the pandemic just like everybody else’s, they stayed true to their vision and came out stronger on the other side. “Foot- wear, paddle, and bike were all impacted by supply chain chal- lenges during COVID and then faced post-COVID sales declines,” says merchandise manager Bren- da Mohr. “But our buying team has done a great job managing our inventory, and we’re currently in a very healthy place.” Apparel, especially casual sportswear, has continued to be strong, she adds, as well as the travel category. The stores have also evolved, coming up with new ways of bringing the outdoor commu- nity together in their respective markets. They do this by hosting grassroots events and clinics targeted at every category they carry, as well as hosting work- shops, guest speakers, and other get-togethers. Their consign- ment-based used gear sale has been going on for 32 years, and their instructional clinics for more than 40 years. They also host Al-Pint Nights for their customers, partnering with local breweries and nonpro ts. “All of these programs are designed to get these customers back into the store and to keep us top of mind whenever they need help or gear,” says marketing director Todd Oswald, adding they also put on ve trail run races, a gravel bike race, a paddle race, and one of the largest amateur adventure races in the country. These e orts have earned Alpine Shop a slew of awards, including Gold Medal Ski Shop from Ski magazine three years running, National Retailer of the Year from Backpacker and Grass- roots’ 2019 Retailer of the Year. Asked if he expected to be
Holly and Lisa Hollenbeck are here for the long term.
Not Fade Away At Missouri’s Alpine Shop, 90-year-old co-owner Russell “Holly” Hollenbeck keeps things going strong.
C elebrating more than 50 years as a specialty outdoor retailer in today’s market is nothing to sneeze at—espe- cially for a agship store that has spawned three other thriving out- lets. Such is the case with Grass- roots Outdoor Alliance member the Alpine Shop, which, as well as its original store in Kirkwood, Missouri, has retail operations in Chester eld and Columbia, Missouri, and Manhattan, Kansas. The main store celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023; its longevity can be attributed to a focus on its customers and the leadership of co-owner Russell “Holly” Hol- lenbeck, who celebrated his 90th birthday last December. The original store was founded in St. Louis in 1973 by climber, author, and Army Map Agency employee Bob Mooers, who convinced Chouinard Equip- ment to open him up as a dealer. Mooers ran his edgling Mooers Alpine climbing store above his home-winemaking shop and map-making o ce. A month lat- er, with climbing sales outpacing
those of maps and homespun merlots, he moved into a larger space. Five years later, he sold it to customer Hollenbeck, then 45, who had moved to St. Louis from Oregon to work in nance and had burned out on corporate life. “There really wasn’t much of an outdoor ‘industry’ back then,” says Hollenbeck. “I grew up in Oregon and loved the mountains, so I was a customer of his. When I heard he wanted to move, I worked out a deal and became a climbing shop proprietor.” Changing the name to Alpine Shop, Hollenbeck and his wife/ co-owner, Lisa, quickly expand- ed by carrying equipment and apparel for backpackers, hikers, campers, paddlers, cyclists, and skiers and snowboarders, eventually opening three more locations. Chouinard Equipment (which eventually became Great Paci c Iron Works, then Black Diamond and Patagonia) still remains its largest supplier. With the motto of seeing “Generations transformed by discovery out- doors,” the store owes its success
GRASSROOTS STORIES 7
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