museums&MORE Fall 2016

Skiing drives sales at Park City Resort’s Legacy Sports By Zeke Jennings

On average, the number of people visiting Park City, Utah, is greater than the number of people who actually live there. It is a quintessential tourist town.

For 10 days in January, Park City is a destination for movie buffs as the host of the annual Sundance Film Festival. However, what drives the local economy first and foremost is skiing. That’s where Legacy Sports at Park City Mountain Resort comes in.

The resort is located at the base of the 7,000-foot mountain, which is referred to as Park City Base Area. As the primary retail operation at the resort, the 5,000-square-foot Legacy Sports is a go-to spot for tourists to get their skiing apparel and accessory needs. It has also developed a good following among the city’s 7,000-plus residents.

Gary Lisbon is a regional director for Specialty Sports Ventures and oversees the operation at Legacy Sports. Lisbon, who has more than 30 years of experience in ski retail, joined Museums and More to tell us a little more about the store.

How large is the staff?

GL: We have 15 to 18 employees in the winter and six to eight in the summer.

What all does Legacy Sports carry? What are the biggest sellers?

GL: We specialize in outerwear, sportswear, logo and accessories. Necessities for skiing (are the top sellers) — base layers, gloves and mittens, goggles, helmets — plus outerwear and souvenirs.

Where do you typically find new merchandise?

GL: Trade shows — Sports Industries America (SIA), Western Winter Sports Representatives Association (WWSRA), Outdoor Retailer (OR), plus vendor showings. We also rely on our buyers from other regions around the U.S. to learn what products are in demand and which ones are not as popular.

Where do you look for display and merchandising ideas?

GL: We use Vail Resorts Retail (VRR) merchandising standards as our baseline guide, but we also watch and get best-practice ideas from other leading retailers, such as Nordstrom’s.

Do you get much repeat business?

GL: Yes, we have found a good local following that supports both our retail and rental shops. We think that has a lot to do with our outstanding fashion trends and the convenience of ski-in/ski-out stores. The Epic Pass (rewards) program has definitely provided greater awareness of our presence and products and has helped create customer and repeat business.

What are the biggest challenges you face? How do you deal with them?

GL: Like many retailers, some of our ongoing challenges can be our greatest opportunities. Making sure that we have the right products that our customers are looking for is a top priority but we also have to monitor emerging trends, try and anticipate what is going to be the next big thing, and then match our ordering to meet our customer’s anticipated needs and wants. Great customer service is part of our ongoing commitment to help build loyalty and repeat business. We are constantly raising that high bar of customer service and when our well-trained staff delivers that kind of services that gives us the opportunity to continue growing.

What is the best retail advice you could offer?

GL: My personal mantra and what I always share with staff and employees is, “Always remember we sell fun!”

Zeke Jennings