In a presentation in Salt Lake City, Utah, Alpine Shop – a St. Louis-based independent outdoor recreation retailer – received the 2012 SNEWS/Backpacker Magazine National Retailer of the Year Award for Growth of Outdoor Sports. This award goes to the business that performed the best job in the nation at introducing people to the world of outdoor sports during the 2011 calendar year.
“I didn’t get into this business to get rich. And let me tell you, I didn’t,” joked Alpine Shop owner Russell Hollenbeck upon receiving the award. “Getting people outdoors is why we do this. It’s behind everything we do.”
Hundreds of outdoor lovers enjoy Alpine Shop's You Can Paddle Day each year.
During the 2011 calendar year, Alpine Shop, long known for its emphasis on empowering customers to get outdoors, enrolled nearly 4000 registrations for 275 educational, experiential or entertainment programs designed to teach or showcase 13 different outdoor disciplines including paddling, cycling, wilderness first aid and backpacking to name just a few.
Alpine Shop’s vision as a company is to see “Generations Transformed Through Discovery Outdoors.” Those five words have driven the retailer to truly dedicate itself over the past 37 years to the “Growth of Outdoor Sports” in St. Louis and the Midwest because of the physical, emotional and spiritual changes that the outdoors can bring to every individual.
“We believe that experiencing the outdoors changes people for the better,” said Lisa Hollenbeck, co-owner of Alpine Shop. “It brings people a better understanding of themselves and what they can accomplish. It’s more than that, though. Look at the races this past year. The outdoors also give everyone a chance to have a lot of fun. That’s why this Retailer of the Year award means so much to us.”
More than 1200 registrations were accepted for the 2011 Off-Road Racing League, including Alpine Shop's Short Track Dirt Crit Series.
The “races” refers to Alpine Shop’s most noticeable effort of the past year in the continued development of the Off-Road Racing League. Consisting of a total of five mountain bike races and four trail runs held at Castlewood State Park in St. Louis, the League brought in a total of nearly 1200 registrations – including over 200 newcomers and kids.
A video from the racing series is included at the bottom of this page.
About Alpine Shop
Alpine Shop began life in 1973 as a small climbing shop. Today, through its three locations in Kirkwood, Chesterfield and Columbia, Mo., it serves almost every type of outdoor enthusiast—be they backpackers, campers, cyclists, hikers, paddlers, skiers, snowboarders or climbers—with a friendly and knowledgeable staff, cutting edge products and a wide variety of how-to clinics for all activity levels. For a complete list of programs, please visit http://alpineshop.com.
About the SNEWS/Backpacker Magazine Retailer of the Year Awards
On Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, during an awards celebration at the Red Door in Salt Lake City, Utah, SNEWS®, Backpacker Magazine and program sponsor Horny Toad honored six outdoor retailers as recipients of the 2012 Retailer of the Year Award, a recognition given annually to outdoor retailers who embody the spirit of entrepreneurship and who serve as visionaries for the outdoor market and leaders of the communities they serve. SNEWS President Michael Hodgson, Backpacker Editor in Chief Jonathan Dorn, and Horny Toad CEO Gordon Seabury will formally award one finalists named the title of “Retailer of the Year” and five other retailers are honored as best-in-class in the following categories: Online Retailer, Community, Growth of Outdoor Sports, Sustainable Business and Youth Involvement.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL on being chosen the 2012 National Retailer of the Year Award for Growth of Outdoor Sports.
I love shopping your store. The best informed staff, top flight equipment, and competitive prices. Bought a pair of boots in 2009 and they are the best I have owned. The boots took great care of me at Philmont Scout Ranch in 2011.
Once again, Congratulations!
Tom
Its about time someone realized there are active outdoor people in the Midwest and a great shop to serve us. Because you sponsor gear swaps I was able to find an affordable canoe. Any day on the water is a good day. Any time I am in your store is a good day too. I couldn’t be happier for the great team at the Alpine Shop! Susan
As an Ozark Trail volunteer, I along with so many others involved with the Ozark Trail cannot thank Holly, Lisa and the staff of the Alpine Shop(s) who support our efforts every chance they get by sponsoring a most AWESOME spring MEGA trail build and ALSO join us building and maintaining the OT. Along with the Alpine Shop, the Hollenbecks have aggresively gotten their vendors involved by supporting the OTA’s events by working along side a couple hundred volunteers in building the OT. Congratulations for a well deserved honor!!!!