May 18, 2007

Retail Roundup

Eastridge’s Sport Chalet a one-stop shop for every outdoor enthusiast

Quality service and goods the key to success at Sport Chalet

When Norbert Olberz took notice of a little ski shop for sale in La Cañada, north of Los Angeles, in 1959, he didn’t hesitate. Olberz and his wife, Irene, invested their life savings into purchasing the shop, and as a way to save money, even slept in the back of the shop and taking showers at night with a garden hose during their first years as owners.

Those humble beginnings, however, led to something much bigger nearly 50 years later in the Sport Chalet, which, as of the end of 2006, has over 40 stores nationwide, including a new Eastridge Mall location – the only one in the Bay Area. The newly open 40,000 square feet Sport Chalet is located at Eastridge’s Quimby Road Streetscape near Chili’s and Barnes & Noble.

And while Sport Chalet has grown from one small shop to its present stature, with stores in California, Nevada and Arizona, one thing hasn’t changed – the company’s mission to provide quality customer service at competitive prices for every outdoor enthusiast.

Beyond great gear and expert advice, Sport Chalet provides helpful services to pack more fun into the outdoors. The store provides services to keep camping gear in perfect condition with expert repairs and replacement parts and also has an innovative “test before you invest” service that allows customers to rent a wide range of gear from Sport Chalet. Then customers decide they like the activity, they can apply two days worth of rental towards the purchase of the same or similar new gear. Available equipment for rental includes tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, stoves, lanterns, climbing shoes, water skis, wakeboards, canoes, kayaks and more.

Sport Chalet is also ready to tackle summer head-on, with experts who can provide advice and services, including the newest, hottest swimwear, boardshorts, shades, footwear, and watches. The store also provides several money-saving opportunities for customers such as the Action Pass. Shoppers can sign up for the Action Pass and earn a $10 gift card for every $250 spent, and receive exclusive member only offers and promotions. For more information, visit www.actionpass.com for behind-the-scene videos and interviews with team riders.

Customer Service
Over the years, Sport Chalet’s growth and expansion has centered on one key element: If you provide people with superior service and products, they’ll come back. Employees are the real reason or ‘secret’ to the success of Sport Chalet and constantly seek to improve on customer service by seeing “things through the eyes of the customer.”

Other mantras employees live by, according to Olberz, Founder of Sport Chalet, are:

“To create ease of shopping.”

“To do a thousand things a little bit better.”

“To not be the biggest, but the best.”

“To be the image of a sportsman.”

Employees are trained with the ICU Rule, which means, “I see you, I go to you, and I help you,” according to Olberz. Seventy-two employees help to maintain the San Jose store.

When asked what sets Sport Chalet apart, Rick Norbori, Manager at Sport Chalet Eastridge, said that “we [Sport Chalet] customize and service our clients to their needs and share with them our sporting and outdoor experiences, while at the same time listen for their opinion, expectation, and experiences so we can pass their thoughts along.”

Sport Chalet also offers specialty value-added services such as:

Adventure Training
Half day to weekend trips for individuals or groups
Canyoneering, backpacking, kayaking and rock climbing

Cycling
Complete bike tune-ups, service and repair
Free 60-day bike inspection and adjustment
Bike guarantees
Free assembly
Free installation of all accessories purchased with a new bicycle

Equipment rental
Customers can rent items such as Skis, ski boots, performance skis, snowboards, snowboard boots, jr. skis and snowboards, ski helmets and poles, snow shoes, climbing shoes, tents, backpacking stoves, lanterns, ensolite pads, backpacks, trekking poles, GPS, kayaks, canoes, scuba diving equipment, water skis, and wake boards.

Golf
Free on-site demos in our hitting cage
Custom club fitting
Golf club re-gripping
Free golf lesson with any single purchase of golf equipment totaling $399 or more
Golf Club Trade-in Program
In-store custom golf swing analysis

Outdoors
Camping equipment parts replacement
Custom lengths for climbing rope
Fishing reel line winding
Air fills for scuba and paintball
Paintball CO2 refills
Racquet demo program
Tennis/racquetball racquet stringing and re-gripping
Water Ski and Wakeboard Boot
Mounting and repair

Scuba
Charters
Instruction including PADI Certification
Equipment repair
Visual inspections
Custom wet and dry suits
Wet and dry suit rentals
Prescription lenses for masks
Air fills

Team Sales
Numbering and lettering of team uniforms
Team catalogs
Customized uniforms

Ski & Snowboard
Full-service ski and snowboard service and repair
Ski and snowboard rentals
Ski Better, Ride Better and Boot Fit Guarantees
Youth equipment trade-in program
Free ski or snowboard tune-up card with purchase
Custom foot bed and boot fitting
Custom orthotics for ski/snowboard boots
Lift ticket sales

Store Services
Corporate group sales
Engraving
Equipment rentals
Extended warranties
Movie studio rentals
Free gift boxes and wrapping
Gift cards
Professional in-home delivery and assembly
Special orders
Sport travel and guides
Team and school sales and sponsorships
Wedding registry
Direct shipping to customers worldwide