A south Broadway consignment shop is suiting up for its first full ski season. Charlie Fay opened Second Wind Sports in 3,000 square feet at 1901 S. Broadway in February, at the tail end of last year’s ski season.
Now, with Colorado’s first ski areas weeks away from opening, Fay said he has hundreds of skis in stock. Fay said consignment shops are perfect for those that are new to outdoor sports or want to be environmentally friendly. And, especially for ski gear, it saves your wallet.
“It comes to $2,500 at a normal ski shop versus $500 here,” Fay said of buying ski equipment. “More people can get more access to the outdoors. ” Fay, born and raised in Cherry Hills Village, graduated from Santa Clara University in California at the beginning of the pandemic.
Not quite ready to move back home, he found himself road tripping in the west when he stopped in Bozeman, Montana. “I liked being in a mountain town and skiing and hiking … and the people there in Bozeman are very nice,” Fay said. He decided to stick around and, after seeing the demand for rental cars grow in 2021 because of remote work and revenge travel, he started renting cars through Turo.
“Most of it had to do with the market that was there … I just found that niche at the time,” Fay said. He sold the cars he rented out in 2022 and started looking for something new. Fay frequented the original Second Wind Sports shop in Bozeman and eventually approached the owner, Brad Baumann, about getting involved in the business.
“I was looking for something else that was more aligned with my interests and passions,” Fay said. “(Second Wind) contained my three favorite things, which is the community, the environment and outdoor sports. ” Fay wanted a seasoned business owner to support him in his next venture, and, by chance, Baumann was franchising Second Wind.
The two hit it off and Fay opened the fourth franchise location in February. There are also locations in Fort Collins, Atlanta and Scottsdale, Arizona. Fay said Second Wind Sports sells “anything that would get you outside” including apparel, tents, skis and bikes.
The shop keeps roughly 30 percent of all sales, which Fay said is the highest consignment rate in the area, and the rest goes to the seller. At eight months in, he said the store is almost profitable. Fay sets the prices, but said if people come with a number in mind he’ll work with them.
Right now, he estimated most clothing items are priced around $15, and gear like tents and backpacks are $35. He said Second Wind takes high-quality used gear, like Cotopaxi, Patagonia or Colombia. In the three days before an interview last week, he said over 400 items were dropped off.
“Those brands … they last so long after one person uses one, they can still be used, they’re not deteriorating,” Fay said. And while people could sell their used items on sites like Poshmark or Facebook Marketplace, he said most people are drawn to Second Wind because they get a high consignment rate and save time. “We can sell it for you and get you the check right away,” Fay said.
Denver already has a handful of used gear shops. Wash Park’s Sports Plus has been operating since the 1980s and also offers rentals and repairs. Feral in Berkeley opened in 2016 and sells both new and used items.
Startup Out&Back, meanwhile, recently leased in York Street Yards, while Outdoors Geek operates in Globeville. .
From: denverpost
URL: https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/16/second-wind-sports-south-broadway-ski-gear/
