09/03/2026
A LETTER AND A THANK YOU FOR 20+ YEARS OF SUPPORT:
Can you believe we've been open for 20 years!?!?! Honestly, I can hardly believe it myself.
When we started this journey, I had no idea it would become what it has, or that this shop would become such a grounding point of my life. I moved to this side of the mountains to learn to row a boat better and had only planned on being here for 4-6 months. Staying in Bend wasn't part of the "five-year plan," let alone 20 year plan, but now, I can't imagine calling anywhere else home.
The path hasn't always been blue skies. We’ve faced our fair share of trials: a lightning strike that fried our computers and backups (true story), a major robbery, the uncertainty of COVID, and all sorts of "lessons" in between. In each of those moments, I’ll admit, there were times I thought it was over. I was ready to hang up the hat, seeing no path forward—but then, you showed up. Although we experienced some hardships, each of which could have shut down another business in another community, you all showed up. You rallied around us in ways I could have never imagined. It was truly incredible. Those moments of extreme difficulty are now the ones I reflect on when I need an extra boost of energy to keep moving forward. The love and support you’ve shown our shop, our team, and me personally has been truly unbelievable.
And off course, it hasn't just been trials and tribulations. It’s been a lot of laughter, a lot of smiles, and a lot of connections as well. I meet with other business owners and managers who share horror stories about their staff or customers, and I genuinely have a difficult time relating. I can honestly say, without a doubt and with full confidence, that we have the absolute best customers and supporters of any business I know. We have also been incredibly fortunate to have great humans choose to make this shop their vocation—some for a short season, others for years and years—all of whom have shaped how we do business and how we show up for this town.
We have evolved quite a bit over the years. We are in our third (and largest!) location, we've had a name change (anybody remember buying used cleats or tennis balls from Repeat Performance Sports? Maybe even a spear gun?!), and we have continuously expanded our service and repair shops. What we sell and how we sell has shifted, and will likely continue to shift as we look for better ways to support our community, support our team, and keep more gear going.
To our consignors: You are the bedrock of this model. We still have people who have been with us since year one, dragging their gear down to the shop to give it a second life. Thank you for your trust and for your commitment to the circular economy and to our shop.
At the outset, it was my mission—our mission—for this place to be a business that supports its team, its patrons, and its community in a sustainable way. I’m proud of our progress, but we have much more work to do as we strive to do "business" in a way that truly matters, a way that makes a difference, and a way that makes a dent both locally and in the “outdoor industry” as a whole.
Rest assured, with your continued support, we’ll be here for at least another 20 years, doing our part.
From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of our team of 25 strong:
Grant, Emma, Nickolas, Barb, Tanner, Camilla, Luke, Esja, Wells, Brady, Katarina, Dan, Brett, Rachel, Rufio, Brian, Owen, Brittney, Steven, Christopher, Jarrett, Kasey, Kate, Nico
Thank You,
Josh
