Westbound Boarder

When Bud Valian moved from British Columbia to Oregon in 1954, things were a little different on the mountain. Timberline, where he taught skiing, had only one lift – the Magic Mile. In those days, “The Mile” was in a different location. It was actually east of the lodge and went all the way up to Silcox Hut. Bud said the lift tickets were only $4.00/each back then…ahh those were the days!

From all accounts, Bud was a bit of a wild man in his younger days and would often climb up to the top of Mt.Hood and ski down. When asked what his scariest moment was, Bud scratched his head for a moment and said that one morning he had just made it to the top of the mountain as was looking around when suddenly, KABOOM! Two fighter jets came screaming right at him, circled the mountain and then waved goodbye. This is of course just one of the many stories the man offered up. I have it on good authority from others that Bud is credited with straight lining the upper bowl at Ski Bowl more than once. For any of you who have ridden the upper bowl, you can only imagine just how fast you’d get rippin’ going straight down!

Bud and his wife Betsy have been together now for 26 years. They are the perfect mix of yin and yang to run their business. Betsy is the stylish one. She has that magic touch when it comes to decorating the shop and merchandising everything in the most effective way. Bud is the mad scientist behind the curtain. He has developed his own equipment which is nothing short of brilliant ingenuity. Going into Valian’s is almost like stepping into a time warp when ski shops were the only place to find goggles, hats gloves and get your skis tuned. “Betz” on the other hand really has an extraordinary flair for combining the old and the new. As you shuffle around the shop, you will see clippings from old Life magazines, newspaper articles, and the products that were popular back in the day. It takes you back to the days of yore and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling that all is right with the world. However, all of it too is mixed with the very latest gear to help you get your shred on.

I asked Bud how the culture of the mountain has changed and he gave me a reply that I had long suspected. He basically said that these days, everybody is in such a hurry to get up there and then get back down to their everyday lives. He went on to say that it used to be that everyone was much more laid back and personal but the sport itself was in many ways much more difficult. (think lace up boots and bear trap bindings!)

Responding to the question of whether or not he still skis, he said absolutely! However, at 76 he picks his days usually in the spring where he can “wear his sunglasses”. He went on to say that he had enough days teaching in crappy weather.

So, there you have it. Valian’s ski shop in good old Government Camp. One of the classics that I hope will endure in this world of Dick’s, Sport’s Authority and Big 5. A place where you can get real advice from a real pro who’s been there/done that and knows what’s best without the BS.

As the grand state of Oregon has four great seasons, clearly we can’t cater to snowboarders all year round. Well, Westbound Boarder is finally unveiling the one-stop-shop that can definitely outfit you each and every season, without exception!  With expertise in all snow, surf, skate, windsurf, kite board and now SUP (Stand-Up Paddle Boarding), Gorge Performance really caters to what the location externalities of Oregon has given to her board sport enthusiast’s.

Est. back in 1983, Gorge Performance has earned their hardcore reputation, through their humble attitudes, by offering the right service and guaranteeing the lowest prices. So we’re going to break ‘em down real nicely for ya. Gorge offers you expertise in the following areas:

• Snow
  
• Surf
• Skate
• SUP
• Kite
• Windsurf

Along with their variety of expertise, Gorge Performance offers what no one else in town does:

• Killer Classifieds: Have a board to sell? Want to try a new sport, but don’t want to pay all that cash for brand new gear? Gorge offers the best consignment, trade-in and resale opportunities in town.
• Equipment Rentals: Snowboards, surfboards, body boards and wetsuits are all available for rental. Check out their website for rates.
• Shape Shop: Gorge offers a shaping shed and board repair center on site. Whether it’s your surfboard, kite board, NoBoard, or any board, Gorge can likely fix it for you.
• Video Rentals: Gorge Performance will even rent you the latest board video (snow, surf, kite and windsurf etc…), a reason all in its self to stop by this board shack.
• Online Store: As if Gorge does not already have it all, check out their online store too!
• For the Ladies: Gorge has all the gear, for the women and the men. From wetsuits to boards, Gorge is ready for you board driven ladies!

This place stands out in a crowd as they are in no way a ‘big box’ store. Gorge throws epic events for their customers. Be sure to check them out:

• 2nd SUP Wednesdays: Want to learn the latest about Stand-Up Paddle Boarding? Join Gorge Performance at Willamette Park boat ramp the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 5pm. This is an opportunity for you to improve your technique, skill’s, or just explore! Eventually Gorge Performance hopes to turn this event into a race. So bring your board if you have one, otherwise Gorge has plenty of demos available. Don’t forget your wetsuit, which you can always rent at the shop.
• Kite Nights: Look out for Kite-Nights later on in the season when the winds are just right. Gorge gets everyone together to kite board out at Sauvie Island. Demos available!
• Rail Jam: Each snowboard season Gorge brings in the snow and throws a rail jam contest right at their shop. With prizes, music and downtown Portland snow, this rail jam is a must attend. Rad events like this take place throughout each season so keep checkin’ in with us for the details.

On top of all these elements which have made Gorge performance the Portland area’s favorite local board shop, they have deals, sales and steals to offer you too:

• Snowboard sale: Right now 2009 Snowboard gear is on sale from 40-50% off.
• Surfboards on sale! For a limited time, you can pick up one of dozens of boards, short and long, marked at $101 off!

As Gorge put’s it themselves, ‘I like to think we’re just right…the right size, the right service and always a guaranteed low price. Stop in. We’ll do ya right.’ With all of this said, it is no surprise that Portland area’s favorite local board shop successfully transforms their focus with the changing seasons- all the way from snow to surf to skate to wind, skim and SUP – so stop by and get your board on at Gorge Performance.

If you like sport’s and have spent any time in the Pac NW, G.I. Joe’s to you is not an action figurine, but an awesome local retail sporting goods store. Growing up in Portland, OR with an active family who was always hiking, biking, camping or skiing, G.I. Joes has always been our destination to get the goods. What is now known as Joe’s (the G.I. was dropped a few years back when new management took over), is a one stop shop that literally has it all. For those of you who do not already know, the recession has got the best of Joe’s Sports and I am here today to bid GI Joe’s, Joe’s Sports, or Joe’s (whatever it may be to you) the farewell that they deserve.

G.I. Joes debuted over 57 years ago as an army surplus store and has blossomed into Joe’s Sports – a sporting goods dynasty, carrying a whole lot of everything! Unfortunately, now 31 locations (throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho) and 1,600 employees will be forced to liquidate and close their doors.

In the meantime, Joe’s will remain open until their merchandise is gone, so you can still shop at Joe’s as liquidation and sales are starting now. Gift Cards and refunds for items already purchased will be accepted through April, 24^th. So go and say your goodbye’s to a Pac NW legendary store, don’t live in the Pac NW? That’s okay, shop at Joe’s Sports Online. Unfortunately G.I. Joe’s sports could not withstand the rise of this COBRA like recession…

As you all are already aware, Westbound Boarder dedicated the Month of March to Saturday Shop reviews. Why, you ask? Well as Andrea has already put it, behind every massive sporting-goods chain, there is a great local shop hiding from the public eye! Our goal is to tell you about these hidden gems through our Saturday Reviews.

We have had an awesome time throughout the month of March having the opportunity to meet all kinds of local board shop owners and hear from our readers which shops are a ‘must review.’ In case you may have missed one of these shop review posts, we have already brought you the 411 on the following local shops:

• Exit Real World – NW Portland, Government Camp, Salem & Tualatin, Oregon
• Ohana Board Shop – San Jose, California
• Signal Sport’s – for Women – NW Portland, Oregon
• Val Surf – North Hollywood, Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks, Valencia & Pasadena, California

Due to the massive popularity of our Saturday Shop Reviews, and how much fun we have had writing them, we have decided to continue our reviews into the month of April. So that means you have another chance to let us know what your favorite local shop is, why it is your fav and why it deserves to be featured by Westbound Boarder. Can’t wait to hear from all of you!

I have already told you last week about my new favorite board shop in Portland, Signal Women’s Sports. Well here is another reason to call this shop your fav! Signal just announced their, ‘LAST WINTER BLOWOUT!” That is right, this Saturday & Sunday (April 5th & 6th), is the Final Winter Clearance Special, where you will get 60% off all ski wear, snowboard wear, skis, boots & bindings and 50% off all remaining snowboard hardware. So what are you waiting for? Get to the shop that has the best selection in Portland this weekend, you can’t afford not to go. OH and tell Sig and Al the girls at Westbound Boarder we say wassap!!!

Today’s been a long day for me!  I spent the morning boarding at Mt. High (sadly, most likely my last day of the season), and I spent the 85-degree afternoon checking out Val Surf – today’s featured shop in our Saturday Shop Reviews series.

When we asked our readers to send us their favorite shops, this shop came highly recommended: “I shop almost exclusively at Val Surf. My tween wants nothing more than to be just like the folks who work for them.”  With a recommendation like that, I couldn’t not check it out!  So after an awesome morning riding and then lunch with grandma, I headed on over to Val Surf; the clincher to a perfect day.

After spending an hour or so at Val Surf, I have to say it is one of the coolest shops I’ve ever been to.  Its a huge shop with really everything you could ever want or need for skate/snow/surf, but it still manages to maintain a true local vibe.  One thing that makes this shop unique is that every employee is really an expert in his/her respective areas.  The kids who stop by once to drop off a resume and maybe mention how they like skating – they don’t work here.  I chatted for a bit with the co-owner, Brandon, and he said the kids who come into the shop every day after an afternoon skating or surfing – those are the kids who eventually end up working at Val Surf.  They’re passionate about what they do and the industry, and I definitely caught that vibe walking around the store.  Listening to a couple of the conversations of employees helping customers out, I could instantly tell why people keep coming back time and time again.

Val Surf cut the ribbon back in 1962, opening up its first shop in North Hollywood, CA.  Brandon’s uncle opened up the shop because, back in the day, really the only place to get good surf gear was in Malibu.  It was great for stopping by for a quickie visit en route to the beach, but not so great for the surfers who lived inland and wanted to shop on their off days.  Hence, Val Surf was born.  Since then, they’ve opened up four additional shops in the LA and Valley areas (Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks, Valencia, and Pasadena), and its owned and operated by Brandon’s whole family.

At first, I was really surprised at how big the store was.  As I was walking around, I’d turn a corner and there would be an entire separate section of the store I hadn’t even noticed before!  Val Surf focuses on three main areas – surf (really?), snow, and skate, each with its own little section in the store.  It carries everything from name brand clothing to its own branded gear; and of course has a complete clothing section just for women.  They also have surfboards, skateboards, snowboards and wakeboards available for rent (for relatively cheap), so if you don’t want to commit to buying a whole new setup just yet, you don’t have to!  In addition to clothing and gear, Val Surf has a shoes, books, posters, stickers and a complete video section – really, they have absolutely everything; its one stop shopping (they even offer tune-ups for relatively cheap).  The vibe and set up of the store is neat, too – the atmosphere is chill, relaxed and inviting, the employees are friendly and helpful, there’s couches and movies playing, and groups of kids skating outside.

All in all, I give Val Surf five gold stars (yes, five!)  This shop has it all – Awesome gear, cool cloths, friendly and helpful staff, and a great atmosphere; you really can’t go wrong.

Don’t live in LA?  No sweat, Val Surf has an awesome Web site where you can order everything from cloths to boards and in between to suit your riding fancy.  And if you’re still in the market for new snowboard gear for next year, their entire selection of 2009 gear is 30 percent off, and their 2008 gear is 60 percent off!

Have you been to Val Surf?  Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think!

If there is one thing you are sure to find at my new favorite board shop in Portland, it is selection! Signal Sports -for Women is a Ski and Snowboard shop founded almost 4 years ago by Sig and Al, husband and wife. This pair founded Signal on the premise that women need a board shop that they can feel comfortable in. As Sig puts it, “all too often women are cast aside or not taken seriously in this industry.” Well that unfortunate notion stops at Signal!

This shop really invites and encourages all women, of all levels and ages to, “either join in the sport, or to get back into the sport that they lost touch with over the years!” However you have found your way to the sport, Signal should be the first stop for all female ski and snowboard enthusiasts. With the area’s largest selection of women’s hardware and software goods and an extremely knowledgeable staff, you are bound to find all you need at Signal.

On top of the great variety of gear, Signal carries a plethora of items for women. With a great selection of sunglasses, handbags, bathing suits and accessories, there really is something for every girl in this shop. You can feel good about shopping at Signal too, as their prices are extremely competitive and they carry everything from the familiar top brands, to awesome local brands (Such as Holden, Melika & Bonfire) – that you won’t find anywhere else but here.

There is no better time than now to stop on by and check out Signal Sports; their hardware is 40% off and all of their winter gear is 50% off. If you just want to browse for the latest quality gear – or you simply have a question about what board will be best for you – Signal Sports encourages all women to come on in and get their questions answered by their all female staff (other than co-owner / operator Al ). Open every day (except for Tuesdays), you have no reason not to go!

Her daughter learned to skateboard before she could even walk.  Barely one year old, Anne-Michelle would put her daughter, Mileah, on a skateboard, give her a little shove, and watch her go.

Anne-Michelle and her husband, Arun, are the proud owners of Ohana Board Shop, a small skate shop located in San Jose, CA.  Ohana – meaning “family” in Hawaiian – is just that; it’s a family shop with a local vibe.  But it’s the owners’ story and background that make this resident shop come to life.    

Anne-Michelle and Arun have been skating and surfing ever since they can remember.  In fact, they first met at a wakeboard camping trip; and years later, well, here they are.  After getting married, they both did the 9 to 5, corporate job thing – Anne-Michelle as an IT and public relations professional, and Arun as a photographer.  But while their minds and bodies were behind a desk 8 hours a day, their hearts remind at sea.   

One day in March 2005 as they were walking along the road, they noticed a retail space in the distance marked with a small “for sale” sign in the window.  They both looked at each other with the very same thought – “let’s try opening a shop.”  Two months later, in May, their idea turned to reality and Ohana Board Shop was born.   

Initially, the shop started as a consignment store where people could buy and sell their old boards and gear.  However, as time went on, they realized there was a huge demand for skate gear in San Jose, and their shop quickly evolved to include everything skate.

However, unlike most skate shops, it has a very local, family-oriented feel.  Located only half a mile from a large mall, Ohana knows its niche – aka, the owners don’t sell anything you can find at big skate chains, which is how they’ve managed to keep and maintain their stellar reputation the past four years.  

Aside from the clothing, Ohana Board Shop is known for its great customer service.  Anne-Michelle describes it as the kind of place where beginners (females included) can feel completely comfortable walking into and buying their very first board.  Most skate shops you walk into are very uncomfortable feeling.  But at Ohana, the Nordstrom of skateboarding, the staff is highly trained to make customers feel calm and comfortable, helping them find the perfect board to fit their style.    

But what Ohana is most known for is their toddler skate lessons.  Using their own daughter as inspiration, the couple started offering toddler skate lessons last August, and the lessons immediately took off.  Anne-Michelle sent an e-mail out to everyone she knew promoting the lessons (they were offering the first month free).  Well, thinking she’d get maybe a few kids at best, 25 kids signed up the first month alone.  It was that very moment they knew the toddler skate lessons would be a hit. 

Anne-Michelle and Arun teach the lessons at their house and typically invite about four kids over per lesson, however, they also teach private lessons when requested.  They offer four levels, including a “mommy and me” level to start.  The lessons are so popular they don’t advertise them on the Web site.  They can’t; they get too many kids already!   While the lessons are going well, their next plan is to purchase an indoor facility so that they can continue to teach lessons, rain or shine.

Describing her husband, Anne-Michelle calls him “a man with many ideas.”  He always has a new project in the works, and unlike most people, he usually makes them happen.  One day, he came home with an idea to make his own clothing line.  Called “Organics,” he manufactures organic skate wear hat is hip and cool, but environmentally friendly and soft to the touch.  The line sold out immediately, and continues to be one of the top selling lines Ohana offers.  Currently, the line consists only of branded T-shirts (six in all) however, they have plans to create sweaters next, and expand from there.       

Arun’s latest labor of love is a Web site for surfers called Nor Cal Surfers.  The site launched last week and features rider, shop and company profiles, weather forecasts, photos and videos; and Arun plans to expand to all of California in the foreseeable future.

With a top-notch local business, two amazing kids, and their own clothing line, life couldn’t get any better for Anne-Michelle and Arun.  What’s next?  A new clothing line?  A global surf site?  Perhaps even another shop? Only time will tell (or just check out their shop and see!)

With every massive sporting-goods chain, there is a great local shop hiding from the public eye, and Westbound Boarder’s got the 411.  In our quest to come up with relevant content that you all will want to read, we decided to launch a “Saturday Shop Reviews” series where we’ll go to and preview a different local shop in SoCal or Portland each Saturday in March.

We’ve already received several great reader recommendations, and we can’t wait to get started.  First up, this Saturday Danielle’s reviewing Exit Real World, thanks to recommendations by, not one, but two people!  Check back tomorrow to read her awesome post, where Danielle will tour the store and talk about some of highlights… and tell us why it’s a great shop for the ladies.

On that note, if you guys have a favorite shop that you want to see in here, let us know!  Send us an e-mail and tell us what makes your shop great, and if we like it, we’ll feature it!

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