As weather warms up, local shops are seeing a shift in their businesses. Many businesses are in a transition period, much like the seasons, changing their stock from winter to spring gear – selling a lot of items at a discounted price.

“Lots of good deals to be had, like 30 to 40% off on jackets. And now, every day we’re getting new spring arrivals in. It seems like lots of fun new patterns and lighter technical clothing. It’s been really fun,” said John Keefover, assistant store manager at Trailfitters.

After a less than average winter in 2023, many businesses saw more success this season.

“We actually got some snow so people could get out cross-country skiing. As far as like alpine snowboard, a lot of the resorts can just make their own snow, so that was still about the same. But it was nice to actually have like a hardy winter,” said Noah Coda, employee at SkiHut.

Stores have periods in the year that bring in less business compared to others, and for businesses, such as Trailfitters, that focus on outdoor activity, warmer weather brings in more customers,

“There’s a lull between Christmas time and right around now. People spend a lot of money during the holidays and maybe not active as much in the wintertime. But we’ve definitely seen a big increase in sales lately, and it’s good to see,”

For businesses, like Skihut, that shift their store from winter to spring recreation, the in-between season can be busy.

“It’s been hectic. I mean there’s lots of just shuffling the store around getting things ready. And like you can always kind of get a feel for what’s coming up next. Service has already backed out about two weeks from people bringing in bikes just getting ready for the sun,” said Coda.

No matter the weather, making sure to have the proper gear when hitting the trails is of the utmost importance.

“We’re really focusing on the importance of a proper layering system, especially with how wild the weather has been lately. It’s been great to have a good, like, solid outer shell, keep out the elements and the cold wind on days like today, have a good mid-layer, like a fleece sweatshirt or puffy, keep you warm, and then have a base layer to manage moisture and regulate your body temperature,” said Keefover.