Village Ski & Snowboard

What Village Ski & Snowboard does

Village Ski & Snowboard is a family-owned specialty ski and snowboard retailer operating a single full-service brick-and-mortar shop at 345 W Central Street in Franklin, Massachusetts, serving customers across New England. The business was founded in 1988 as 'Village Ski and Sports,' relocated to its own building in 2000, and was rebranded to its current name on January 2, 2001 to reflect the rise of snowboarding; ownership passed from founders Rich and Nancy to their son Keith Brachold and his wife Kaelah in 2022. The company carries skis, snowboards, outerwear, and accessories across major brands, and differentiates through credentialed services: master boot fitting (staff trained in the Masters Course of Education in Snowsports Boot Fitting and Stance Alignment), and precision tuning using Wintersteiger Scout equipment with quarter-degree edge geometry.

The revenue model combines transactional streams (equipment sales, apparel, tuning, boot fitting) with a recurring seasonal lease program for families, paired with resort partnerships at Magic Mountain (VT), Cranmore Mountain (NH), and Pats Peak (NH) that bundle free lift access with equipment leases. A Junior Trade-In Program and Shop-by-Appointment service extend customer lifetime value within the family and apparel segments. The shop operates seasonally, currently closed for the 25/26 off-season with reopening scheduled for August, reflecting the underlying seasonality of the New England winter sports market.

Name

Village Ski & Snowboard

Legal name

Village Ski & Snowboard

Website

https://villageski.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Village Ski & Snowboard is a family-owned, single-location specialty ski and snowboard retailer in Franklin, Massachusetts, serving New England customers with equipment, apparel, master boot fitting, Wintersteiger tuning, lease, and trade-in programs since 1988.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Ski and Snowboard Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail (CRAMABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ski & Snowboard Service & Repair Shops (Tuning, Mounting, Boot Fitting) (CRAMAJAF), Ski & Snowboard Rental & Demo Shops (CRAMAJAE)

Keywords

• Ski equipment retail
• Snowboard retail shop
• Boot fitting services
• Ski tuning services
• Winter sports apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of skis, snowboards, and related equipment to customers. They carry a full line of equipment and offer trade-in programs for families committed to the sport.
2. Apparel and Accessories Sales: Sale of outerwear, technical apparel, and accessories for men, women, teens, juniors and toddlers. Includes brands like The North Face and others from their portfolio.
3. Tuning and Repair Services: Professional ski and snowboard tuning services using Wintersteiger technology. Includes base preparation, edge sharpening, structure and polish, and waxing services.
4. Boot Fitting Services: Professional boot fitting services by trained master boot fitters. Includes assessment, boot selection assistance, and custom inserts for proper foot alignment.
5. Equipment Lease Program: Yearly rental/lease program for ski and snowboard equipment. Available for all ages. Includes promotional partnerships with Magic Mountain, Cranmore Mountain, and Pats Peak offering free passes/tickets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Village Ski & Snowboard is a full-service ski and snowboard retail shop that sells equipment, apparel, and accessories for all ages and skill levels, and delivers professional services including master boot fitting, precision ski and snowboard tuning using Wintersteiger technology, and personalized apparel shopping by appointment. It also operates a Junior Trade-In Program and a seasonal Lease Program partnered with regional ski resorts (Magic Mountain, Cranmore Mountain, Pats Peak) that bundle equipment rental with lift-ticket or season-pass benefits.

Product overview

Village Ski & Snowboard is a full-service ski and snowboard retail shop offering a portfolio of interconnected services: Boot Fitting provides professional custom fitting with trained boot fitters; Tuning Services delivers equipment maintenance using Wintersteiger technology; the Trade-In Program enables families to exchange outgrown gear for credit toward new equipment; and the Lease Program offers seasonal equipment rentals for uncertain future commitment. The company also operates as a specialty shop-by-appointment for apparel and accessories. Together, these services address the complete equipment lifecycle from initial purchase through ongoing maintenance and eventual upgrade or trade-in.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boot Fitting Service

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Magic MountaincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMagic Mountain in Londonderry, VT is a partner in Village Ski's Lease Program. Customers who lease equipment receive a free season pass. This partnership is specifically targeted at skiers and riders ages 5-12.
• Cranmore MountaincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCranmore Mountain in North Conway, NH is a partner in Village Ski's Lease Program. Skiers and riders under 18 receive a free lift ticket with purchase of adult ticket when participating in the lease program.
• Pats PeakcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPats Peak in Henniker, NH is a partner in Village Ski's Lease Program. Skiers and riders under 18 receive a free lift ticket with purchase of adult ticket when participating in the lease program.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Backcountry: Backcountry is a leading online specialty retailer for outdoor and snow sports equipment and apparel. It overlaps with Village Ski on product categories and competes on assortment, pricing, and convenience for New England customers outside of the Franklin, MA catchment.
• REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.): REI is a national outdoor recreation co-op with broad sporting goods retail including winter sports equipment, apparel, and shop services such as boot fitting and ski/snowboard tune-ups. Competes with Village Ski on assortment and trust, though not a ski-only specialist.
• Sun & Snow Sports: Sun & Snow Sports is a multi-regional specialty outdoor and ski retailer offering ski/snowboard equipment, apparel, and seasonal rentals across several U.S. markets. Comparable full-service winter specialty model with broader outdoor recreation positioning.

Direct peers

• Milosport: Milosport is a Pacific Northwest ski and snowboard specialty retailer with stores in Seattle and Portland offering equipment retail, boot fitting, tuning, and seasonal rentals. Same full-service specialty positioning targeting core ski/snowboard enthusiasts.
• Christy Sports: Christy Sports is the largest specialty ski and snowboard retailer in Colorado and the Rockies with multiple locations offering equipment retail, boot fitting, tuning, and seasonal rental/lease programs. Comparable multi-location full-service ski shop model with recurring lease revenue.
• Evo: Evo is a full-service ski and snowboard specialty retailer combining e-commerce and physical storefronts (Seattle, Salt Lake, Portland) with services including boot fitting, tuning, demos, and rentals. Closest direct peer to Village Ski's full-service model, scaled nationally.
• The Ski Corner: The Ski Corner is a Salt Lake City-based, family-owned ski and snowboard specialty shop offering equipment retail, boot fitting, tuning, and seasonal rentals. Closely analogous full-service independent in another ski market.
• Peter Glenn Ski & Sports: Peter Glenn Ski & Sports was a long-established specialty ski and snowboard retailer across the Eastern U.S. and Florida, offering equipment retail, apparel, and seasonal rentals/lease programs. Historically a direct competitor to Village Ski's full-service model in the New England and Mid-Atlantic market.
• Sturtevant's of Sun Valley: Sturtevant's is a multi-generation, multi-location ski and snowboard specialty retailer in Idaho and Park City offering premium equipment retail, boot fitting, tuning, and seasonal rentals. Directly comparable in service mix and family-ownership heritage.

Regional players

• Sport Thoma: Sport Thoma is a New Hampshire-based family-owned ski shop in Waterville Valley offering ski and snowboard equipment retail, boot fitting, tuning, and apparel. Directly analogous New England competitor with similar family-operated positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/village-ski-&-snowboard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Village Ski & Snowboard