SKIESSENTIALS & PINNACLE SPORTS TO ACQUIRE KILLINGTON’S BASIN SPORTS
SkiEssentials.com and Pinnacle Ski and Sports of Stowe are pleased to announce the purchase and merger of Basin Ski, Bike, and Ride in Killington. By combining the premier retail and ecommerce outfits of Northern Vermont with the most storied and reputable ski shop of Central Vermont, skiers, riders, hikers, and bikers will get the best of all worlds when it comes to outdoor industry service, products, and expertise.
Starting over sixty years ago, Basin Sports is the oldest continuously operated business in the Killington community. Rick and Lorraine Torrey, owners and operators of Basin Sports since 1991, have continued the tradition of excellence, providing phenomenal customer service and clear passion for the outdoor industry. With an enormous retail space at the foot of Killington’s area, Basin provides sales, service, rentals, and demos from tons of top brands. Their gear experts are second-to-none in the area, with knowledgeable staff on hand to get customers into the right skis, snowboards, bikes, boots, or snowshoes.
Fusing that retail space and personnel with SkiEssentials.com’s reach and content bodes well for the future of both companies. Based in Stowe, Vermont, SkiEssentials.com has proliferated in both business and scope over the past five years, bringing top-notch content and a wide variety of products and services to the industry. From the annual Ski Test to individual product reviews, SkiEssentials’ brand and general scope will introduce a new generation of skiers, riders, hikers, and bikers to Basin’s already stout outdoor community. With nearly 40 years of ski industry expertise under its own belt, SkiEssentials.com and Pinnacle Ski and Sports represent another organic and home-grown business whose passion and commitment to the outdoors rivals any in the industry.
Josh Wolfgang, CEO of SkiEssentials.com, is constantly looking to new ways to further the brands connection to the outdoor community, and the Basin deal presented itself as a fantastic opportunity for both sides: “It became clear from the second I met Rick and Lorraine that their employees, and Basin’s deep connection with the Killington community, were the foundation that Basin was built on. When you look at Killington, there is no question that it is a massive market that draws a lively outdoor community from throughout New England and New York. We are excited to continue the excellent experience Basin and its staff have built and provided over the years, and introduce our SkiEssentials and Pinnacle community into the Killington market. The team that Rick and Lorraine have built around the Basin is top-notch. We are all thrilled to come together and continue to grow the business into the future.”
By combining brands, content, personnel, and culture, the synthesizing of these companies is a huge win for the customer as well as the outdoor community. The hope is that skiers and riders driving up the access road in Killington will recognize and interact with the Basin in a new and exciting way, merging the tradition of the existing shop with the draw and power of SkiEssentials.com’s online presence.