Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 22

IDEAS

Brenda Mohr

Each issue, we speak to key employees who work behind the counters
and in the aisles at successful retailers in order to find out what
it takes to turn a great shop into a neighborhood institution.
by Cameron Martindell
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TAKE YEARS OF TRAIL
says. "They run a business that values collaboration. The culture is one of learning. There's
time or seasons of ski bumming to make a
an open invitation to question how things are
strong long-term outdoor retail employee.
done and make things better."
Brenda Mohr came to Alpine Shop with exThat policy of allowing employees to quesperience working for her family's construction how things are done came to light when
tion business, as a buyer for an apparel chain
Lisa Hollenbeck gave Mohr her own job as
in Boston, and as a store manager/buyer at
merchandise manager when she realized she
Ski Center while she and her husband, an Air
could do it better. "Brenda showed me the
Force fighter pilot, were stationed in Virginia.
way she had changed up the data from our
Her experience working at those jobs taught
inventory management consultants-addher many valuable business lessons, including a few things we'd been wanting but not
ing, "Be respectful to your team/clients and do
able to get through the reporting we had at
what it takes to get things done," she says.
hand," Hollenbeck says. "She is positively
Mohr has been with Alpine Shop for 20
data driven, and that is a good thing in a meryears, but she's not the only one who has stuck
chandise manager. So I gave her my job."
around. The senior management team-conMohr didn't plan on becomsisting of her, the owners,
ing such a big part of the fabric
and each of the department
of Alpine Shop. "When we reheads-has been working
Brenda Mohr, 54
located to St Louis, I took my
together for the past 15 years.
Shop: Alpine Shop
standard approach to looking
"Our owners Lisa and Russel
Location: Missouri & Kansas
for a job where I could draw
'Holly' Hollenbeck have creRole: Merchandise Manager
on my experience, have fun,
ated something special," she
Experience: 20+ years

22 OUTDOOR RETAILER

/ Summer 2019

WORDS OF WISDOM

About Attending Outdoor Retailer:

Personally, I always return from the
Outdoo Retailer shows inspired to
go do something that may be out of
my comfort zone. We use a hashtag
at Alpine Shop, #getoutsideyourself,
which seems appropriate.
Regarding Role Models:

Independent specialty retailers in our
industry are choosing to make their
living doing what they're passionate
about-getting people outdoors-
and it's hard work, especially in
today's ever-changing retail space.

Todd Oswald

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

and meet new people," she says. "Alpine Shop
was opening a second store in Chesterfield,
Missouri, and hiring for winter staff, which
included ski sales. I applied and got the job.
Little did I know that a part-time job would
turn into a 20-year adventure!"
When asked about serving customers,
Mohr is quick to quote Alpine Shop's mission statement: "Generations Transformed
by Discovery Outdoors." The shop's staff recognizes that being outdoors is life-changing.
And when a customer has a great experience
outdoors, the team hopes he or she will share
that with family members and friends in order for their lives to be changed, too. To get
them there, Mohr advises floor staff to listen
closely before sharing. "New sales associates
are so eager to use their newly acquired technical knowledge that they tend to overshare
too much info right off the bat," she says. "I
know it can be hard, but listening first then
sharing info to guide guests to what products
will fill their needs creates a better sales experience for everyone."
Mohr simpy loves being a part of the Alpine
Shop team and the outdoor industry-and
loves helping the industry grow and improve.
"Because St. Louis is a baseball town, we've always joked that Alpine Shop is the farm team
to the big leagues," she says. "So many of our
associates begin their careers with us and then
follow their hearts to other destinations and
jobs in the outdoor industry." O.R.

Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019

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