Ski industry not suffering from late-starting season

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Nov 30, 2001 by Kropf, Annemarie

For once, the economy is innocent. Though business has been doing OK, ski retailers say they need a good snowfall soon in order to have an avalanche of sales.

"It's like the snow-tire business," says Archie Burton, a ski and snowboard maintenance worker at Bikes & Boards at Surf 'N Ski in New Hartford. "People don't buy snow tires until it snows."

Last year, the ski season began in early December, lasted until April, and brought skiers out in droves. This season, retailers are anxiously waiting to see weather reports of snow clouds.

"Thirty percent of [industry] dollars will be lost if there's no snow by Dec. 15," says Steve Sonne, owner and manager of Dick Sonne's Cycles, Skis, & Fitness. "The other big factor is snow by the end of December. Christmas brings in 20 percent. After Christmas, if there's no snow, it's pretty much a done deal. [The industry will] lose 30 to 50 percent if there's no snow by the end of December."

Sonne says that the terrorist attacks had no effect on his sale of snowboards and cross-country skis. "We were right on board for October," he says. "I'm still blaming the weather more than 9/11."

Some retailers aren't worried. "It was a little abnormal that we got snow so early last year," says William Hane, operations manager at Four Seasons Golf & Ski Center in Fayetteville. "Generally, the season starts mid-December. If we're open by the 15th, that's average. We're still not sweating just yet."

Hane says that, so far, sales of skis and snowboards have increased 10 percent. "We don't sell hundreds of snowboards here," he says. "Fifty is normal for us, and we're doing 60."

Hane attributes the increase in sales to last year's lengthy season. "People got out and used equipment, and thought, 'maybe next season they'll upgrade,' " he says. "It was a good, long season last year. More people got out and did it."

While Four Seasons is a ski retailer, it is also a place to practice the sport. "Last year, we probably had close to 5,000 people, at least," Hane says. "This year, we anticipate close to the same, maybe a little lower since the season is not as early."

Hane says that both local ski retailers and resorts will profit from the nation's traveling fears.

"For the local areas, they're in good shape," Hane says. "People may not want to travel to the Rocky Mountains and Colorado. They may not want to fly. This may bode well for us, since most of our traffic is from the immediate area, only a one- or two-hour drive."

Sonne says that all they can do is wait.

"We're all still optimistic," he says, "but optimistically concerned."

And if it takes a little while for the snow to fall, so be it, says Burton.

"We're a year-round shop," Burton says. "We don't drop off like other stores and bring out bathing suits in January."