Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1045274
By Cara Griffin Granite Sports is a small-town climbing shop located near one of the nation's most famous tourist attractions. The South Dakota shop is the oldest outdoor specialty store in the Black Hills. Situated 10 miles from Mt. Rushmore, Granite Sports carries gear and clothing for rock climbing, hiking, backpack- ing and camping. The 2500-square-foot shop's mix of climbing gear and lifestyle offerings includes brands such as Patagonia, prAna, Petzl, Black Diamond, Smartwool and more. Owner Pat Wiederhold has an interesting perspective on the business. He says he initially bought the store as a real estate investment. But this specialty shop in this touristy town became a labor of love for Wiederhold and 12 years later he is all-in as an outdoor specialty shop owner. Here, Wiederhold shares his thoughts on the climbing business and what's resonating with his customer base. On the store and his background… "I have owned the store for 12 years. The store has been here for 20 years. I have a pretty varied background. I initially bought the store as a real estate investment. I ended up liking the stuff inside the store so much that we continued to run it. "We are in a small town. It is about 1000 people. We are 10 miles from Mt. Rushmore and about 12 miles from Crazy Horse monu- ment, so it is very touristy. And for us, that is a good thing." On climbing's popularity and when business is strongest… "We have a pretty substantial climbing section in our store. The climbing business is steady. It is becoming more popular with a younger group. Kids have access to try it out in climbing gyms and at colleges and they are more interested now in getting out on some rock. Climbing is not as fringe as it was 15 or 20 years ago. "Summer is our big selling season. We do 75 percent of our business between May 1 and the middle of October. Then we do some nice Christmas business. We don't focus on winter sports in the store. There is skiing about an hour north of us, but winter sports are not a big deal for us." On "lifestyle" trends in outdoor… "Lifestyle is big for us. Our bread-and-butter is apparel and footwear." On popular brands … "Luci Outdoor solar lights have been popu- lar. We just bought in Cotopaxi bags and every bag is unique and they are well made. The last couple of years Kavu bags have been super popular for us, too. Chaco sandals have made quite a resurgence the last four or five years. Those are some brands that stand out 40 • Outdoor Insight • November 2018 outdoorinsightmag.com South Dakota Standout Granite Sports, Hill City, SD GRASSROOTS P E R S P E C T I V E S Cathedral Spires, just one of several epc hiking spots near Granite Sports.