Q1

Tell us a little about what has been happening at Christy’s. What new initiatives do you have for the ‘25–‘26 season?

A: Heading into ‘25–‘26, our focus is on operational readiness, people, and practical innovation. Over the past few years, we’ve tightened cross-functional coordination and refined our processes. The “season readiness” scorecards we track internally are trending green thanks to strong store execution and better handoffs between teams.

A major highlight this year was the relaunch of Boot Fit University, where our top boot fitters, vendors and store leaders came together to align on best practices and elevate consistency across all locations. It’s a powerful example of how we invest in our people to improve every guest’s experience.

On the technology side, we also completed a major database upgrade. It was one of those behind-the-scenes projects that improves system stability, POS speed and inventory accuracy, so guests move through rentals and service faster. Through monthly CEO updates and town halls, we’re keeping teams aligned and celebrating what’s working at the store level all season long

Q2

What is Christy’s doing to help promote ski/winter sports participation? What is the biggest challenge?  

A: Participation grows when first impressions are great and barriers are low. That’s where Christy Sports puts its energy — creating welcoming, confidence-building experiences that make the mountain more accessible for everyone.

Our season rental program continues to be one of the most effective ways families can get outside together without breaking the bank. With one pickup, free boot swaps and complimentary tuning all season long, we make it simple for guests to spend more time skiing and less time worrying about gear or cost.

We’re also proud to partner with Colorado Ski Country USA as the presenting sponsor of the Kids Ski Passport Program, which gives students in grades K–6 up to 76 days of skiing across 19 Colorado resorts, plus free junior rentals from Christy Sports. It’s a meaningful way to make winter sports more affordable and accessible for young families.

Through our work with SheJumps, we’re helping women who have faced barriers to skiing and snowboarding by providing free season rentals through the Ikon Pass Mountain Access Program, a true game-changer for opening doors to new participants.

The biggest challenge remains time and cost. Families are balancing busy schedules and higher living expenses. Our response is operational: remove friction from the rental process, keep fittings precise and make every interaction a positive one. When guests feel cared for and confident, they come back, and that’s how participation grows.

Q3

What makes a good supplier/retailer relationship?

A: Alignment and transparency. We’re most effective when brand partners share sell-through signals, product roadmaps and timing early so we can plan staffing, training and inventory that match real guest demand. We give store-floor feedback quickly and expect the same candor in return.

The recent Halfdays/Hestra event at our Boulder store is a great example: brands engaged directly with the team, we hosted the community, and the guest experience reflected everyone’s shared standard.

Q4

From Christy’s perspective, what is the most important aspect of customer service? How does Christy’s reinforce customer service across its many locations?

A: Service starts with people. We hire for attitude and build skill, because “care” can’t be faked. You’ll see that in simple habits: greeting by name, proactive check-ins and closing the loop on needs.

Internally, we reinforce this through regular communication from leadership, practical store-level training, and our cross-functional employee feedback group (now in its second round) to surface what’s working and where we can improve. That continuous feedback mechanism keeps standards consistent across 50+ locations while giving each store the room to serve its local community.