Interview: Boardroom Snowboard Shop
Interview: Boardroom Snowboard Shop
Interview with: Spence Timkey, Owner/Operator
What’s new in the shop this year?
This year’s product curation is as good as it’s ever been, and we’re thrilled to introduce some new brands for this season. Public Snowboards provides a full complement of super fun park boards, Le Bent socks and base layers are lightweight, stink free and full merino wool, and Souvenir’s pants and vests are a throwback to the 90s when snowboarding was in its full glory. We’ve stacked these three on top of an already outstanding arsenal of brands, and they’re great complements. There’s a full contingent of Boardroom and Ellicottville branded apparel as well
Do you have a personal favorite brand or piece of equipment?
Can I say all of them? In all seriousness, our store is chock full of equipment from the industry’s best brands. If it doesn’t pass our personal seal of approval, we won’t sell it. From simple beanies by Autumn to high-end GORE-TEX pieces from Burton [ak], we use what we sell – when you can speak on product quality from a first-hand experience, it gives our customers the peace of mind knowing they’re getting the best stuff money can buy. When you call yourself an authentic snowboard shop, you need to practice what you preach. That means a full-service shop, a demo fleet and brands that embody the culture.
Let’s hear about your rental program. What can customers expect renting through The Boardroom?
Our store was founded as a ski rental shop, and that remains a massive part of our business. Seasonal ski and snowboard rentals for both kids and adults is a great way to get into the sport affordably (especially if you’ve got growing kids). On the daily rental side, we’ve got adult and junior skis and snowboards, plus a full demo fleet of most boards on our retail wall and Burton Step On. Come in and demo something, and if you buy it that day, we knock what you paid off the purchase price.
39 years going as a family-run business… that must feel pretty great! What’s it like to continue the dream and what’s your key to success?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a foundation as solid as the one my parents provided for me. When they opened the shop in 1984, they had no idea it would turn into what it is today, and I owe much to those who walked before me. When people ask what I do for a living, they kind of double take - you sell snowboards? - and it’s the coolest feeling. We live by a few simple rules in here: show up on time, don’t complain, provide exceptional customer service and give people a reason to want to shop with you. We sell fun for a living, it’s pretty simple. 39 years in and that formula remains bulletproof. As a family - and rider-owned and operated snowboard-only retail outfit - these are the things that set us apart.
Further into the season, can we expect another Boardroom Banked?
Yes! Our favorite event returns to Holiday Valley on Sunday, March 3rd. A hand-dug banked slalom, the Banked is a day to celebrate the WNY snowboard scene and the culture as a whole. The past few seasons we’ve maxed out the number of riders and we don’t anticipate that changing. This season, our beneficiary will be the Ellicottville Playground - a group of local moms who want to replace the current village playground with one that’s modern and more inclusive. The Banked is a day that proves the WNY, eastern Ohio, and north/west PA snowboard scene can go pound for pound with anybody in the game.
What’s it like managing a storefront and online website?
When you’ve got a team as good as ours, it’s easy. We updated our point of sale this season with much better omnichannel functionality, meaning our inventory is incredibly accurate if we sell something in-store or online. Brooke is an absolute savant with how the store looks - we take a lot of pride in our merchandising - and Matt has been our web guru, building the new site from the ground up and shouldering a lot of the responsibility with the backend stuff. It’s 2023, and to stay relevant and competitive we need a full online storefront. We look at is as a complement to what we offer in-store. The online channel is open 24/7 and we’re only a message or phone call away if someone has any additional questions. Just because you’re buying online doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect the same level of service.
With the area’s largest selection of Burton Step On, what’s the inventory looking like this season?
Dialed. Step On has been an absolute game changer for us and snowboarding as a whole. We’ll be the first to say that it isn’t for everyone, but it filled a massive need the snowboarding industry had. We’ve stolen a lot of people back from skiing. Burton’s lineup is as good as it’s ever been, with incredibly clean colorways and styles. DC rounds out our boot selection, and we’ve got multiple options for both men and women. Step On is offered in our demo fleet, and we have brand new inventory for this season.
Here's to hoping for a great season ahead! What do you look most forward to once snow covers the slopes?
There’s nothing like selling someone a setup and them coming back with the biggest smile on their face because they just had the absolute best time on the hill. The people that come in the shop are what keeps our wheels turning and are the reason we come to the shop every day. We are a player in the game because we legitimately, genuinely love standing sideways and want to spread that love. But what I’m looking forward to the most? Getting my 2-year-old back on a board.