How does a half-pint bike repair and swap shop transform into a full-service bike and ski gear mecca crowning the corner of Second Avenue? Forget slick, corporate scalability schemes. Owners Karen and Gary Provencher adopted a totally different tack with 2nd Ave Sports—one that might involve a secretive sock syndicate.
Before becoming shop owners, Gary and Karen were high school sweethearts who migrated west from Massachusetts after college with little more than some skis and an insatiable passion for the outdoors.
“It's so important to create calm,” says Karen Provencher. “Removing yourself from the pavement, getting out on the dirt, surrounded by the trees—that really helps to create that peace.”
The couple worked odd jobs and ski slopes in Wyoming and along Colorado’s high Rocky Mountain range. “We got paid in powder,” Gary laughs as he reminisces.
Once in Durango, they discovered a beloved and quirky bike repair and consignment shop so tiny you’d be forgiven for mistaking it as a closet. In 2003, when Karen and Gary acquired the business, they knew each other (and themselves) well enough to accurately carve out the different operational facets. Karen adopted the bookkeeping and human resources side while Gary tended to all front-of-house responsibilities, especially communications with employees, sales reps, customers, and the community.
“I'm more of like a worker bee,” Karen notes and Gary adds,“I focus on the relationships” And the couple gladly shifts roles or responsibilities, allowing mutual respect and equality to always prevail.
However, roughly a decade after taking over the store, disaster struck! The property where the shop sat was sold for redevelopment. Their business would have to relocate. Or would it?
The Provenchers thought someone was yankin’ their chain when First Southwest Bank offered them a portion of the corner lot plus financing to build a whole new storefront. Karen credits the City Councilors, the local architect, and construction firms who also helped them through the process.
Today, 2nd Ave sports provides ski and snowboard gear and rentals, tuning, boot fitting, as well as bikes, e-bikes, repairs and rentals. While they sell roughly 1,000 bikes annually, the Provenchers suspect they traffic way more in socks. Gary notes, “We have so many socks in here and still people come in asking: Are these all your socks?”
But the real secret to 2nd Ave’s success is cultivating a fully-supported staff whose talents are rewarded with year-round living wages, bonuses, health benefits, and retirement.
“They're our family; they're our friends. That's who we hang out with,” Gary attests.
Sidebar: Wheely Excellent Spokespeople
From the beginning, the Provenchers possessed a clear vision for the shop: offer a world-class inventory of gear curated by an equally world-class panel of funny, friendly experts.
Karen characterizes the 2nd Ave staff as “so knowledgeable, so passionate, so intelligent and great at their craft.”
This magazine decided to test the staff, asking them how long they’ve worked at 2nd Ave Sports, what’s the best aspect of their job, the best deal or product, and their favorite outdoor sport and location. Here’s what they revealed.
1. Timothy—5 years—loves the knowledgeable coworkers, the perks, staff retreats, and the flexible schedule. Kris recommends their boot fitting and is always up for tubing the Animas and laps around Horse Gulch.
2. Cindy—9 years—loves the Provenchers and the “upbeat, crazy” staff. Cindy touts the store’s unbeatable customer service. She bikes, skis, hikes, and paddleboards.
3. Justin—8 months—thinks the crew is a “solid group” and recommends the bike tubes—cheapest in Colorado. He’s all in on high country single track.
4. Mint—8 years—loves the coworkers and laughs. He says come for the free coffee and stay for the customer service. His sweet spot is Horse Gulch, AKA Durango’s Central Park.
"Removing yourself from the pavement, getting out on the dirt...really helps create that peace."