Success Story: Success Online and Off

Don Thomas Sporthaus has been in business for 60 years, and in that time, has developed a reputation as one of the premier ski shops in the Midwest. In 2005, the shop was purchased from the original owner by Summit Sports, a retailer with nearly a dozen other sporting goods stores and several websites, including skis.com. We talked with Steve Kopitz, owner of Summit Sports, and Hans Erni, manager of Don Thomas Sporthaus, about the balance between the brick-and-mortar location and its online presence, the benefits of going green, and how the shop has boosted its visibility and community involvement by sponsoring a local pro-am team.

When did Don Thomas Sporthaus open? 
Steve: We purchased Don Thomas Sporthaus from the owner, Don Thomas, in 2005. Our business, Summit Sports, has been in business since 1990. Don Thomas Sporthaus has been around for 60 years and has a phenomenal reputation.

How many employees do you have?
Steve: We have 15 employees at this location and 140 total in the company.

What inspired you to own your own business?
Steve: I wanted to do something that was fun. I was a financial planner before starting my business. It was my childhood dream since I was 16 to own my own high-end ski shop. It was always something in the back of my mind.

What do you like most about owning your own business?
Steve: Everything we do—skiing, snowboarding, kayaking—those are things I love to do and am very passionate about.

What has been your toughest challenge?
Steve: The weather. If we don’t have snow, we don’t have business. I say we’re like snow farmers, and we reap the harvest.

What makes you stand out from the competition?
Steve: Strong buying power. With our website, skis.com, we can offer an incredibly big selection for skiers and snowboarders. We straddle the world between an Internet company and a ski and sporting goods company. When a customer comes into the store, and they don’t see what they’re looking for, they can shop on our website right in the store. We carry literally every brand. We would never just be a pure-play Internet company—we would always have specialty shops—but the Internet helps us stay in business. In the seasons without snow in our area, our website helps us bring in business from across the country.

We also have great customer service, online and off. Everyone who works online comes from the stores. Everyone who works for us is a complete fanatic and passionate about the sport. We have some guys who have been in the industry for 40 years.

Why did you decide to sponsor a pro-am team? What do you see as the biggest benefit of sponsoring the team?
Hans: The original idea was to give some exposure to the skiing community. I asked a couple of pro skiers to be on the team so younger kids on the team would have someone to look up to. We ended up with 18 pro skiers and 12 to 15 local kids. It’s been a fun thing for them and us. It’s given us a lot of exposure with big names in the professional ski community. It’s opened doors for us to get involved with other organizations and charities.

 Have you hosted other events in addition to the pro-am events?
Hans: We do a rail jam every year in September. We bring in rails and cover them with snow. That attracts a lot of kids and spectators. We also do a charitable event every year with Matchstick Productions. We rent out a theatre and show a [ski-themed] movie. We invite everyone back to the store for a midnight madness sale, and we get manufacturers to donate equipment signed by famous athletes that we auction off. 100% of the proceeds go to the charity. It’s our way of showing our appreciation to our customers, strengthen our customer base, and give back.

What do you find works well when promoting events and getting people through your front door?
Hans: We use a PR team that helps get the word out. We also use our Facebook page and email list. A lot of promotion is done through grassroots [marketing]. People look forward to our annual events and tell their friends.

When you moved to a new location in 2007, you built the new location with environmentally-friendly materials. Why did you make the decision to “go green,” and what have been the benefits of doing so?
Steve: The reason is simple: global warming and skiing don’t mix. We feel strongly, as do our manufactures, to do our part. The benefits are that we use less electricity and have a smaller carbon footprint.

Are you connected to any community institutions or organizations?
Steve: We’re very active with the Chamber of Commerce and the Birmingham Principal Shopping District, a subset of the chamber. We’re involved with a number of events throughout the year. It’s a very cohesive, cooperative community.

What is your advice for someone who wants to own their own business?
Steve: Pick something you’re really passionate about and don’t quit. Starting a business is hard, and keeping a business going is hard, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.