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Our 26th Annual Winter Swap kicks off on Friday, October 18 at our Kirkwood and Columbia, Mo., stores with a tent full of used skis, snowboards, bikes, boats, camping gear and apparel.

This is your chance to OLD gear into SOLD gear! Bring in last year’s set of skis, or your bike that hasn’t gotten much use over the past couple of seasons. We’ll provide the crowds to shop it all. It’s a perfect situation to turn that used gear of yours into store credit with us, or a check to use as you please!

Used gear check-in runs from noon till 8 pm through Thursday, Oct. 17 at both Kirkwood and Columbia locations. For full information on what you can sell (and also what we won’t accept) take a look at the complete Swap rules here.

Then come back on Friday with the tent opening up at 6 pm!

BALLWIN, MO – An evening that began with a forecast for rain earlier in the week turned into a typical St. Louis summer night for more than 210 runners who took to the trails at Castlewood State Park for the second night of four in the 2019 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series. This approximately 4.2 mile race featured two substantial climbs, including the opening half mile up to meet the Bluff Trail and then a second climb that stretched over the second and third miles.

Familiar names resided at the top of the leader board as Jon-Paul LaVenture (37, Ballwin) beat the field on the 4.2-mile course in a time of 28:39.47, besting second-place runner Andy Rains (26, Ballwin, 30:03.0) to the finish line by, once again, just more than a minute. Josh Wright (41, Kirkwood), crossed the finish line exactly 18 seconds later to round out the top three in the overall standings. That’s the exact same time difference between the second and third place finishers in week 2 when Caleb Smith took third place behind Rains.

For the women’s open category, Jaime Maher (36, St. Louis) – the winner of Race 4 during the 2018 series – made her 2019 debut and promptly took first place in a time of 36:47.8. Lory Cooper (32, St. Louis), making her 2019 debut as well, finished almost exactly one minute behind Maher. Yuting Huang (28, Ballwin) moved up from outside the top five last week to third place with a time of 39:15.3.

Chris Martel (53, Francis Park) won his 10th straight masters Trail Run Series race with a final time of 32:32.4 (6th overall). Eric Buckley (56, St. Louis, 33:28.7) moved back into a familiar second place finish in the division. As stated last week, Martel and Buckley finished 1-2 in each race in 2018. Mickey Howell (56, Villa Ridge, Mo.) who finished just 10 seconds outside of the top three last week, moves up into third for the first time. On the women’s side, Kate Dewey (51, Chesterfield) took home her second straight win in a Trail Run Series race with a time of 43:17.7, with Sherri Schultz (50, Chesterfield, 43:54.6) and Julie Dobslaw (51, University City, 45:03.2) once again, taking second and third, respectively.

We also had one of the largest collection of young runners in Trail Run Series history this week with eight runners under the age of 14, including top finisher Oliver Pollock (14, St. Louis, 37:39.6) and the youngest runner in the competition, nine-year-old Ty Rauls (Wildwood, 46:38.3 ), who finished in 79th place overall and fifth of six in the under 20 division. 13-year-old KB Piepho (Chesterfield) was the top under 20 girl with a time of 51:35.7

Race 3 of the 2019 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series will take place next Thursday night, August 15 at 6:15 pm. We hope you can join us!

Overall Results
Age Group Results
Point Series Totals
Photos (by Jacob Trost)

Friday, August 2 through Sunday, August 4, 2019 is Missouri’s Sales Tax Holiday for qualifying back to school purchases. For parents looking to get high quality apparel, shoes and gear that will actually make it through not only this school year, but also years to come, Alpine Shop is the place to shop! 

To qualify, apparel and footwear must be under $100. And right now, Alpine Shop has some great bargains on items like: Patagonia Better Sweaters – regularly priced at $139 are now $96.97; selected Chaco sandal styles – regularly priced between $105 and $115 are now $89.97; plus, almost our entire stock of summer apparel is discounted between 25-40% off. And as long as our price tag says it’s under $100, it qualifies for no state sales tax!

If you’re shopping on-line, we’re offering FREE shipping across our entire website this weekend. No code necessary! (But the offer does exclude oversized items like bikes and boats.)

On the subject of school gear like backpacks, we understand that very few of our backpacks meet the under-$50-threshold the state requires for the tax holiday. However, we would like to point out that we’re fairly sure most of those under-$50 backpacks you’ll find somewhere else also won’t come with a lifetime guarantee. 

Check out this story on our marketing director’s son’s backpack that lasted not only his entire grade school career but also his high school career and beyond.

We like to call it Built to Last Back to School.

BALLWIN, MO – Back in 2010, Alpine Shop hosted the inaugural race of the Trail Run Series with a grand total of 33 participants. On Thursday, August 1, 2019, we began our 10th season with a capacity crowd of nearly 250 at the starting line. Along the way, we’ve continued to try to build this series into the best combination of physical activity, social night and a great chance to win some impressive prizes, in the St. Louis area.

Jon-Paul LaVenture (37, Ballwin) conquered the approximately 4-mile course in a time of 25:07.9, beating second-place runner Andy Rains (26, Ballwin, 26:10.6) to the finish line by more than a minute. Caleb Smith (31, St. Louis) crossed the finish line just 18 seconds later to round out the top three, overall.

On the women’s side, Mandy Wright (Kirkwood, 42) captured a rare feat, winning two Off-Road Racing League Events in less than a week. With the rescheduled Meramec Marathon Paddle Race running this past Sunday, Wright was the top women’s finisher in the Marathon Stand-Up Paddleboard division. Five days later, she took the top spot in the women’s race with a time of 34:22.1. She was followed by Emily Haarmann (29, O’Fallon, 34:34.1) just 12 seconds later and Annemarie Rains (27, Ballwin, 34:58.6) just under 40 seconds after that.

For the purposes of the Trail Run Series, our Masters Division starts at age 50. This week, Chris Martel (53, Francis Park) continued his dominance over his competition for the past three years with a final time of 28:44.9, good enough for 8th overall and first in Men’s Masters. Chasing him to the line were Ryan Yoch (56, O’Fallon, IL, 31:01.8) and Eric Buckley (56, St. Louis, 31:22.6). Martel and Buckley finished 1-2 in each race in 2018 and Martel has now won the last nine races in his division, going back to the 2017 season. On the women’s side, Kate Dewey (51, Chesterfield) took home her first win in a Trail Run Series race, with Sherri Schultz (50, Chesterfield, 38:25.3) and Julie Dobslaw (51, University City, 40:11.6) taking second and third, respectively.

Following the race, participants helped themselves to a selection of Urban Chestnut Brewing Company beers along with some barbecue and snacks. Lucky winners also took home prizes from Hoka One One footwear, Native Sunglasses and Smith Optics.

Race 2 of the 2019 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series will take place next Thursday night, August 8 at 6:15 pm. We hope you can join us!

Overall Results
Age Group Results
Point Series Totals
Photos

Come out and support Great Rivers Greenway Foundation at a Schalfly Al-Pint & Movie Night at the Alpine Shop in Kirkwood on Wednesday, July 10.

Purchase a reusable STANLEY Adventure Stein for $25 and enjoy two free Schalfly pours at this Al-pint night – and at all remaining 2019 pint nights(!)–or buy a cup for $5 and enjoy two beers. (Or if you’ve already purchased your Adventure Stein for the year, simply show up and enjoy your two beers!)

In addition to the cool libations, we’ll also enjoy a movie and popcorn! We will be showing the documentary “Waterschool.” The film demonstrates the power of education, and how we can all be ambassadors for water conservation. ‘Waterschool’ follows the experiences of several female students who live along six of the world’s major rivers – the Amazon, Mississippi, Danube, Nile, Ganges and Yangtze – and celebrates the efforts of Swarovski Waterschool.

We’ll also have a make-your-own popcorn trail mix bar!

Great Rivers Greenway is the public agency connecting the St. Louis region with greenways, with 125 miles built so far. St. Louisans decided to leave a legacy for future generations by investing in and connecting together some of our region’s best assets with a network of greenways, making it a more vibrant place to live, work and play. Greenways help residents and visitors explore and enjoy the region and live life outside.

Demand for GRG projects, such as the Gravois Greenway expansion, is higher than ever. The investment is significant – we cannot depend solely upon tax dollars to complete the critical greenway connections that people want and need within their lifetimes. The Great Rivers Greenway Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that engages private supporters to help complete our priority projects.

Come celebrate the spirit of the islands with us this Thursday, June 27 at all Alpine Shop locations as we celebrate Olukai Island Day.

Each of our stores is giving away a pair of Olukai Sandals that day. All you have to do is come into any location and register to win with us. But you have to do it inside the store on Thursday. No on-line entries for this give-away!

Plus, we’ll have free Popsicles for all customers back in our footwear departments to help you get in the summer/island vibe.

Come visit any Alpine Shop location on Thursday, June 27 for Olukai Island Day and you could win a free pair of Olukai sandals!

About Olukai Sandals :

Every product Olukai makes must offer style, durability, and comfort from heel to toe. They pay close attention to every element of design, starting with the use of custom-made lasts and anatomical footbeds to ensure superior fit. Premium materials are carefully selected to be beautiful, durable, and soft against your skin. Handcrafted details honor island culture with authentic artwork. Behind every pair is this commitment to quality for those who wear them and those who craft them.

[KNOXVILLE, TENN., June 10 –] If there was a Stanley Cup for the independent outdoor retailers of North America, you could say St. Louis-based Alpine Shop just took home the big prize.

At the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Awards Banquet held on Saturday, June 8, at the Knoxville Convention Center, Alpine Shop took home the Retailer of the Year award for the first time in its history.

The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) is an active network of 70 independent retailers across the nation working together for the health and growth of specialty outdoor retail. Alpine Shop has been a member of the organization since 2002.

Owner Russell “Holly” Hollenbeck, who purchased the store in 1978 and has run it ever since, fought back tears as he accepted the award with his wife and Alpine Shop co-owner, Lisa Hollenbeck. “My goal has always been to get up in the morning and be excited about going to work,” he said. “And have everyone who works for me feel the same way.”

Alpine Shop received the honor based on voting from the entire membership of the GOA.

Alpine Shop is also one of three finalists in the Retail category for the 2019 Inspiration Award from Outdoor Retailer, the largest U.S. tradeshow and business event for the outdoor industry. That award ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 in Denver.

About Alpine Shop:

What began in 1973 as a small climbing shop in Webster Groves, Mo., now serves almost every type of outdoor enthusiast from backpackers, hikers, campers, paddlers, and cyclists, to snowboarders and skiers at our four locations in Missouri and Kansas. After 45 years in the business, it is Alpine Shop’s vision to see Generations Transformed by Discovery Outdoors. (And we’d like to see the St. Louis Blues win the actual Stanley Cup in Game seven this Wednesday.)

Friday, May 17 is National Bike to Work Day and the whole month of May is National Bike Month.

So how can you participate? Well, if you’re an experienced rider, just jump on your bike and ride! Pretty simple, right? And if you can ride to work on National Bike to Work Day, even better!

But what if you’re not such an experienced rider? What do you need if you’re interested in starting to commute by bike? Well, here are a few tips that we hope might make the experience more fun than you expected.

1. If you don’t have a bike already, well, you might be surprised to find out that is a requirement. But, you’re also in luck, because we have some of the best commuter bikes you’ve ever seen. The Specialized Turbo Vado and Turbo Como E-Bikes take a lot of the stress out of commuting. The pedal-assisted system is just like riding a bike – only a lot faster and a lot easier.
   
   Now, some people might say that an E-Bike would be cheating for National Bike to Work Day. We couldn’t disagree more. The simple truth is riding an e-bike still means you’re going to be pedaling – the bike doesn’t move unless you’re being active. And as far as we’re concerned, as long as you’re being active and you’re not adding another car to the roadways, you’re staying true to the purpose of the day.
2. Plan your route ahead of time. The route you drive to work may not be the safest for you to ride your bike on. Look for streets with dedicated bike paths or at least a wide-enough, and safe-enough shoulder that leave you room to maneuver in the face of other vehicles.
3. You’re probably going to want a bag to bring a change of clothes. There are plenty of options. Or you can just grab an old backpack and see how it goes!
4. Be safe. Wear a helmet. Make sure your bike is in good working condition. Obey all traffic laws and make sure you signal your turns!

You might also be interested in joining us at our Kirkwood store on Thursday, May 16 for our Basic Bike Maintenance class!

Mother’s Day is Sunday May 12, and Alpine Shop is filled with extraordinary gift ideas for that special lady who helped raise you into the adventurous spirit you are today! To help you celebrate her, here are some of our favorite gift ideas from the Kirkwood store. (Many of these gifts are available on-line at alpineshop.com, too!)

Inspired by traditional Hawaiian palm frond braiding, Olukai designed the premium leather straps on the sophisticated U’i Ko’o (literally “Beautiful” in Hawaiian) sandal in the same artisanal way. Modern and comfortable for all-day wear, the U’i Ko’o has an adjustable strap for added support for all of life’s escapades.

Filled with the same insulation as your favorite puffy jacket, the Rumpl Original Printed Puffy Blanket Throw National Parks edition is perfect for anyone with wanderlust. There are six different versions of these blankets with some of the most iconic locales on the planet. Pick out her favorite place and let her dream of her next trip while staying warm under the blanket.

While most things are better outdoors, it’s especially true of wine. But nobody wants to deal with broken glass on the pool deck or the campground. The 10 oz. Wine Tumbler is the YETI answer to enjoying wine in the wild.

If your Mom is the kind to make sure her patio is decorated to the T, check out our large selection of wind chimes and metal outdoor decor at our Kirkwood store. Featuring original pieces from talented artists, you’re sure to find something that fits your Mom’s sense of style.

C.C. Sun Hats are another new brand for Alpine Shop that’s perfect for the upcoming summer season with plenty of styles to choose from that Mom will love wearing – especially to the pool or hopefully the beach.

Inis fragrances and lotions capture the coolness, clarity and purity of the sea like a seashell captures the sound of the sea. Check it out in the women’s section of our Kirkwood location.

A customer favorite that we’re finding it harder and harder to keep in stock, the Spinster Sisters Soy Lotion Candles combine the room-enhancing scents of a candle with a soy body lotion that will make your Mom’s skin feel fantastic. There are a number of fragrances to choose from. Find the one that matches your Mom’s tastes.