Winter sports are a big deal in Michigan. Some winter sports—skiing and snowboarding in particular—require a certain amount of gear to be done right. That's why Michigan has plenty of ski and snowboard stores to choose from, and with that in mind, we're going to look at 10 of the greatest the state can offer!
Dearborn's Nichols Ski and Snowboard has plenty of the kind of hardware you'd hope for from a ski and snowboard shop, including ski pants and goggles, among other high-quality products. But Nichols Ski and Snowboard has plenty else to bring to the table, like history. The store got its start when a son asked his father for 10 feet of wall space in the family hardware store to sell ski equipment. It went on from there, and now the store even includes not only tuning in advance of the season, but also a junior buy-back program so that young skiers and boarders can grow into the sport.
Billing itself as “your one-stop specialty ski shop for over 60 years,” Cadillac's Sun 'n Snow clearly has history on its side. But it's not just a place that's been open for two generations, it's also a place that stocks the newest in material as well as the necessary side gear. This includes winter clothing and racing accessories, along with a full-service repair shop and even custom boot-fitting.
Shumaker's, in Flint, also has claim to history on its side, in operation since 1947. It goes on from there, offering not only winter gear and ski racing hardware, but also footwear and assorted apparel and accessories. It covers skiing and snowboarding well, and can even provide supplies for snowshoers and cross-country skiers, too. A complete service bay rounds out the offerings, and from time to time, Shumaker's even has special events designed to get more people interested in skiing and snowboarding.
Since 1991, Portage's the Edge has been helping the skiing and snowboarding community in Michigan. Throw in parts and service capabilities along with a slate of special events—one event featured a gift bag for the first 50 people to show up—and you've got just about everything you need right in Portage.
Summit Sports has a range of locations in Michigan—it's even got a few in Texas—and regardless of which you hit, you'll find plenty available. You'll be able to shop both online and off, allowing you to take full advantage of convenience options, and you'll be able to get hands on gear for men, women, and kids alike. Throw in some additional gear like camping and water sports material—even travel gear to help get you to your destination and stay for a while—and you'll have the full range of options on hand.
The Ski Company in Rochester handles a wide array of ski and snowboard materials, including ski racing tools. Good by itself, but it gets better when you introduce the seasonal rental program for the kids, allowing parents to better introduce their children without having to buy a succession of new products to keep up with their kids growing. With a complete online shop, repair facilities, and a family-owned history going back to 1982, the Ski Company should fit your needs nicely.
Saginaw's the Stable has a clear goal toward being one of the best ski and snowboard shops in the Saginaw Bay area, if not the whole Thumb of Michigan. Start out with 45 years of continuous operation and expand into a wide range of options from skis to snowboards to accessories therein. It gets better from there—the Stable has repair services, rental options, and even sponsors a slate of special events geared toward getting snowboarders and skiers together to enjoy their sport of choice.
People Skate and Snowboard in Keego Harbor focuses mainly on the board part of winter sports, primarily snowboarding. Since it's “rider-owned and operated,” as it puts it, it focuses on carrying only the brands that the shop and its employees would actually use themselves.
Did you know there's a line of snowboards made right in Michigan? That's Marhar Snowboards' stock in trade. Found in Grandville, and with a wide array of retailers throughout Michigan and beyond, Marhar Snowboards works to satisfy a variety of tastes. From the “all-terrain weapon” that is the Lumberjack snowboard to the “powder hunter” of the Woodsman, Marhar Snowboards runs the complete gamut, and even allows customization at the individual user level.
Holland's Reliable Ski Haus’ slogan is, “All we sell is fun!” Naturally, such a store has to be well-stocked with the latest in ski and snowboard gear, and the Reliable Ski Haus proves reliable on that front. This store has a slate of online exclusives, private sales, and even maintains an email list to inform customers of new arrivals. Throw in repair and maintenance and you've got the complete roster ready to go.
