Ski Fanatics Interview
By James Petz
In New Hampshire, the winter is always one of the best times of the year. Snow covers everything from trees to roads, and more importantly, ski mountains. Ski and snowboard tourism greatly increases the overall traffic in and out of New Hampshire. Visitors from New England and all over the Northeast come to our great state to ski for a day, the weekend, or the whole week. These visitors pick from several great mountains in the state including the ones most local to Plymouth of Waterville Valley, Loon, and Cannon. Tourist- based businesses in the state, such as restaurants, hotels, and ski shops, flourish during the winter due to this influx of traffic in the state.
Today, we look at local business owner John Gallagher and see how his business, Ski Fanatics, runs in the winter. This Campton, NH based business is just 10 minutes north of Plymouth, 15 minutes from Waterville Valley, 20 minutes from Loon, and 30 minutes from Cannon. The close proximity to these ski mountains allows for Ski Fanatics to advertise to travelers who visit these specific mountains, along with others within the region. The storefront can be seen from the off ramp of the exit, as it is conveniently located right off Exit 28 off I-93. This ski shop, like many others in the state, does its best business in the winter. As skiers are on their way to the mountain, they often stop for tune-ups, or new products or apparel. Whatever their ski or snowboard need may be, Ski Fanatics has the ability to fulfill that need. To further understand what the life of a ski shop owner is, we interview John to get his insight on the business.
Where are you from?
I grew up in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
How did you get into skiing?
At about age ten, I started skiing. Often, I would ski at Wachussett Mountain with my brother-in-law. As I got older and more experienced, he and I would drive into New Hampshire. We would usually ski at Loon or Cannon Mountain for the day, or stay a night and ski back-to-back days. I grew a love for these two mountains and wished to tone day live near them. I have now done that and I can ski these mountains as much as I want.
When did you move to New Hampshire?
I came to New Hampshire for college as I attended Plymouth State University. I got my bachelor’s degree from the university and I played lacrosse for the school. After I graduated I decided that I did not want to move back home and looked for a place to live in this area.
How did you get into the ski business?
I worked at a ski shop during college in Lincoln, NH. After college I began working at Ski Fanatics for about seven years before buying the business.
When did you buy your business?
I bought the business in 2014.
What is the everyday life of working in a ski shop?
I mostly do the customer service side of Ski Fanatics. I welcome customers into the shop and see what questions they may have about the store and our products, and then see if I can answer those questions or help with anything else that they may need. For customers who are returning, I do a lot of work with sales and custom boot fitting. Along with managing my workers, I do a lot of behind the scenes work to ensure that my business runs smoothly
How does your location affect your business?
Location is everything for my business. Without my store being right off of the highway and on the road out to Waterville Valley, we would not do the same amount of business that we do now. As it is 30 seconds from the highway and visible from the off ramp, our business can easily draw new customers into the store without much marketing needed.
Do you do a lot of work with snowboarding?
No, we actually do not. Although we do carry snowboards and apparel, I personally do not work a lot with that the snowboarding side of snow sports.
How do you prepare for the upcoming season?
We are currently in the process of looking year’s products that we can sell for next year. I meet with representatives from ski companies during the month of February to see what styles and what products will be popular over the next year. During these meetings, the representatives, myself, and a few of my employees go over trends in brands and styles for the previous years and upcoming year. After these meetings, me and my wife go over numbers from the previous year and budget for the following year. We also use the farmer’s almanac as a good reference as to how the winter will be in New Hampshire. This will show us how much we may need to prepare and budget for the upcoming season.
Do you test out many of your new arrivals and demo skis?
I personally test nearly all of our products purchased for the next year. I do this at a three-day event at Stratton Mountain in Vermont and another day at Loon Mountain. During these days, our sponsors allow local ski shop owners and employees to test out new products that will be on our shelves during the next ski season.
How does your location affect your business?
Location is everything for my business. Without my store being right off of the highway and on the road out to Waterville Valley, we would not do the same amount of business that we do now. As it is 30 seconds from the highway and visible from the off ramp, our business can easily draw new customers into the store without much marketing needed.
What does your business do in the offseason?
We have less business during the spring, summer, and fall months. To help us get from season to season we rent kayaks, as well as give kayaking trips to customers down the Pemigewasett River.