The Little Gear Shop That Could

Even the outdoor industry boasting some of the most loyal and conscious consumers on the planet is not insulated from the new realities of retail. Are corporations and online selling killing our local backyard gear shops?
I sat down with Maura Kistler and Kenny Parker of Water Stone Outdoors to see how they are shifting their business, buying trends and goals while remaining true to what makes them real.
Water Stone is exactly what you think of when you envision an iconic destination climbing shop.  Maura, Gene and Kenny were dirt bag climbers and started a gear shop in Fayetteville, WV over twenty-five years ago.  Their mission was simple, make better humans by getting them outside.  Their wall of fame is plastered with autographed photos from some of the best climbers in the world along with post cards, thank you notes, community events and everything in between.  
In the early days they partnered with some of the biggest heritage brands like OR, Prana and Mountain Hardware.  “The difference between now and then is the brands didn’t directly compete with the retailers.  And there was no internet,” says Kistler. Water Stone is a seasonal business with small buys and the pressure to make minimums, keep terms and compete year after year started to take a toll.
After years of feeling marginalized and mounting frustrations towards the brands and industry, Water Stone re-evaluated their strategies and came back to their core reasons for being in business. Favoring relationships over sales they knew they were in it for way more than the transaction, they wanted the connection. They wanted to embody the soul of the sport from the grassroots up.
“The original intent of specialty retail is to sniff out what’s new and different and bring it to market,” says Kistler. Her buying strategy changed to limiting her assortment to what was proven and accenting with the new, hip, different and local brands. “Consumers are hungry for reasons to care” says Kistler.
Water Stone reevaluated how their sales staff interacted with the customers. “Rather than make a sale, we want them [sales associates] to connect, inspire, engage but most of all, be themselves,” says Parker.
In pursuit of doing business with a soul and conscience Water Stone also started diversifying.  They now have more than five different businesses operating within the shop.  From Range Finder Coffee to Mountain Surf Paddle, diversification uplifts other local businesses in the community, increases foot-traffic in the store and allows Water Stone to arrive fully as a premier destination location.
Don’t be fooled, this gear shop with a cause hasn’t figured it all out yet. We discussed the opportunity of connecting with their audience better. They have bigger than life personalities that win over the most savvy customers but haven’t fully tapped into creating content (blogs, emails, social media, etc) that  embodies who they are, engages their passions and inspires their customer.  
In pursuit of navigating the complex and ever-changing world of retail, this little climbing shop has gotten more creative, more nimble and maybe a little closer to the reasons they went into business in the first place.