SPOKANE, Wash. — Mid-February is usually the heart of ski season, but this year is different. Snow has been hard to come by this season, forcing some resorts to close off entire sections of their parks.
The low snow is taking a toll on local shops who rely on a good snow season to help make a profit. Ski shops like Alpine Haus are running big discounts to get people through the door.
“We’re moving into an end of season clearance situation on all of our winter stuff,” said Chad Ohman, store manager at Alpine Haus.
Alpine Haus is one of several ski shops running “end of year” sales a few weeks before they usually do.
“Skis and snowboards are 30% off. Boots and bindings are 20% off. And then all of our accessories are 30 percent off as well,” Ohman said.
They even have some items that are half off, including winter clothes, some older models of skis and boards, and customers who buy two accessories like a helmet and goggles can also save a good amount.
The store manager says although sales are down with the lack of snow, it’s not unique.
“I’ve been working in ski shop since the 90s, and so I’ve seen kind of this pattern every 8 to 10 years, you get a bad winter, and it’s just something that you got to just work your way through and come out on the other side,” Ohman said.
He says they haven’t had nearly as many ski rentals this season either. But he says long ski-centered holiday weekends help their bottom line, along with people who rent gear for the entire season.
The store also put out their bikes about a month earlier than usual, which have been helping out with some sales.
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