“The more that society in general has sort of moved away from your traditional ties. Sometimes people don't attend the church their parents did, or they don't have a community association, or like Joel moved across the country or myself moving from Winnipeg. You don't have those gathering places that you once did. So I think there's work, there's home, and that third place is where you can find belonging.” - Gavin Harmacy

Gavin Harmacy and Joel Desgreniers own two shops, one in Squamish, BC, and the other in Canmore, AB. Both are mountain towns and both are places where Ski Uphill/Run Uphill offers all the goods you need to explore. More importantly, though, both are places where the community can unite. Whether gearing up for the next adventure or sitting around and spinning yarn with like-minded individuals, the shop is meant to bring people together. They love to serve their communities and they also take their role in the outdoor industry seriously. They enjoy the outdoors and want to ensure it’s as enjoyable for future generations.

“How do we make this a more sustainable and less of a fast fashion thing? Because there's a lot of brands out there that say the opposite, and when you're seeing glaciers on weekends on long runs and you see how fast they melt, you can't just be like, “I'm going to go buy that latest shirt that's in the latest color.” So as retailers, it's a very interesting crossroads right now.” - Joel Desgreniers

Joel and Gavin were great to chat with. They were insightful and honest and I really appreciate the insight into what they’re doing with Ski Uphill/Run Uphill. It’s a tough market to compete in and the shops that stick around seem to serve their community in more ways than just sending you out the door with gear. Joel and Gavin have embraced their communities and encourage anyone to get out and explore. Their communities have also embraced them and know exactly where to start their next exploration.

Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available

I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:

Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25

Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25

Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)

Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25

Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!

#Naaksquad

I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.

If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.

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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

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