April 2011 – Alpine Shop Blog

April 22, 2011

Alpine Shop Asks: Where would you celebrate Earth Day?

A year ago, I wrote this post on What Does Earth Day Really Mean. I’ve decided this year, I have no interest to get into any political discussions. All I’d like to see is Alpine Shop’s customers’ favorite places on earth.

Because what good is Earth Day if we can celebrate our planet’s most beautiful locales? So whether you’re a mountain lover, a beach comber, a prairie dweller or an ocean-goer, visit our facebook page here and post your pics or video of your favorite places on Earth. If you could celebrate 4/22 anywhere on Earth, where would it be?

My favorites? Well, here you go…

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park - from Glacier Point — The view of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, from Glacier Point.

Yosemite holds such a spell on me, it’s difficult to describe. (If you’re interested in learning more about it though, join me on May 26, 2011 for a clinic on the park at our Kirkwood location.) Yosemite Valley may be overrun with tourists, but I still love it. And I love getting out of the valley and exploring miles of trails that are virtually deserted. Pure paradise.

Castor River Shut-ins / Amidon Conservation Area — The Castor River Shut-Ins near Fredericktown, Mo.

Most people don’t know about the Castor River shut-ins at Amidon Conservation Area near Fredericktown, Mo. In all honesty, I’m not sure I want more people to know about it. I was married about 100 feet to the left of the spot where this photo was taken. My wife and I love it. Our kids love it. It’s just a magical, beautiful place. Go during the late spring when floods have scoured the pink granite walls clean but the mud has had a chance to dry!

The beach at Bloody Bay in Negril, Jamaica — Bloody Bay in Negril, Jamaica.

In honor of my wife who taught me to relax on a beach and just enjoy the waves rather than immediately get into a kayak and go paddle away into them, I have to put Negril, Jamaica on my list of favorite spots on this earth.

What are your favorites? Don’t forget to post your photos and/or videos on our facebook page before Monday, April 25 at Noon CDT, for your chance to win a gift certificate.

April 14, 2011

Two Great Bikes for Great Prices this Weekend

As the price of gas continues to soar, have you considered commuting to work? Or maybe just riding to stay in shape? Alpine Shop has an answer for you.

This weekend only, April 15-17, we’ve got two bikes at great sale prices: the Marin Venezia – an introductory road bike originally priced at $1099 and now on sale for $599 – and the Marin Belvedere – a great commuter bike that normally retails at $590 is just $399.

Alpine Shop bike shop manager Traci Berry gives a great introduction to both bikes in the quick video below. Enjoy!

If you’d like more information on these bikes from Alpine Shop, you can find them by following the links below.

Marin Venezia

Marin Belvedere

April 8, 2011

Swap’s Friday Night First Choice – Video

If you’ve never been with us in Kirkwood for the opening night of a Swap, then this video is for you. We want you to know exactly what you’ve been missing out on.

This video shows footage just as we’ve opened up the tent for customers. Everyone has a great time. We gave away a bunch of great prizes to people standing line. Thanks to Columbia Sportswear and Marmot for providing many of the prizes.

If you weren’t able to join us tonight, we hope you’ll come by sometime this weekend and join in our official kickoff for spring!

April 8, 2011

Panoramic View of the Inside of the Swap Tent

Lighting isn’t the best, but this will give you an idea of just how many bikes and other gear are just sitting in the Swap Tent waiting for the mad rush this evening. Don’t wait around, get in line as soon as possible!

April 8, 2011

Friday Night = First Choice at Great Deals

Kayaks for Sale at Alpine Shop Swap — Kayaks anyone? They're each $250 starting at 7 pm tonight, April 8, 2011

With just over five hours to go until we open the Swap tent up to the public for the beginning of Alpine Shops’ Spring Swap, we have a great collection of used boats, bikes, camping gear and clothing for everyone this weekend. As we’ve said before, though, once the deals are gone, they’re gone for good. Like the picture on the left here. Each one of the boats on the rack are on sale for $250 this weekend at the Swap (assuming they last the entire weekend).

We’ve also got another “sneak peek” video inside the Kirkwood tent for you. After two and a half days of accepting gear, we have the tent pretty much full, with the biggest rush of gear still to come (the two hours before the Swap).

So come on out and join us tonight! The line will be forming any minute now and by the time we open up the tent at 7 pm tonight, we’ll have four or five hundred close friends in line just waiting to grab ahold of some new gear. See you then!

April 7, 2011

Celebrate Good Deals and Great Outdoors at Spring Swap

Alpine Shop's Swap - Friday Night First Choice

Now in its seventeenth year, Alpine Shop’s Spring Swap Festival gives area families an opportunity to sell their used outdoor gear while also helping the store provide tens of thousands of dollars to worthwhile organizations.

Alpine Shop’s 17^th Annual Spring Swap Festival begins Friday, April 8 at 7 pm at our Kirkwood and Columbia locations and continues through Sunday, April 10. Customers can begin bringing their used gear to sell on Wednesday, April 6 to those locations only.

The Spring Swap Festival is a consignment-based sale the Alpine Shop hosts each April. Anyone is invited to bring in used warm-weather outdoor gear or clothing to sell for two and a half days in a 10,000 square foot tent in the South parking lot of our Kirkwood location. Alpine Shop’s Columbia location will also feature used gear, as well.

The first night of the Swap festival is also the main fundraising effort of the weekend. Everyone 13 years or older pays $5 to get into the tent. Every penny of that money goes to a particular charity. This year that organization is Trailnet – a St. Louis-based not-for-profit organization with a 20-year history of promoting active living, a way of life that encourages people to integrate physical activity into their daily routines. Alpine Shop is proud to assist them in their efforts.

Customers bring in an average of over 2,000 total items to the Swap tent each Spring Swap Festival, with an emphasis on bikes, boats, camping gear and warm-weather clothing for the whole family.

Items that find new homes during Swap not only make some extra money for the seller, but also help save gear from our trash dumps. Even items that don’t sell can make a difference. Participants can mark on their consignment contracts that they would like Alpine Shop to donate the gear to the charity of Alpine Shop’s choosing if the item doesn’t sell.

For more information on specific times and Swap rules, please visit alpineshop.com.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s going on inside the tent…