Outdoor lifestyle family business credited with promoting Flagstaff’s character, introducing new sports, keeping recreationists comfortable, creating local jobs and championing environmental conservation.
“Growing up with Mountain Sports, in a family that cares deeply about the outdoors and in a community that values conservation, environmental education and wild places, has shaped both me and the business,” said Mountain Sports owner Lisa Lamberson. “My parents, Mark and Rosie Lamberson, both entrepreneurs, are my role models. Early on, I came to recognize that my parents put in the time and energy to be deeply rooted in the community, and I am incredibly grateful for the decades of support by this community and to our loyal customers that now allow us the opportunity to give back to our environmental partnering organizations.”
“I remember there was always excitement around the Lamberson home,” said Stroll Editor Kimberly Trotta, Lisa’s childhood best friend. “Their home was warm and welcoming. It felt like everyone, from celebrity athletes to neighborhood friends, were treated like family.”
The Mountain Sports story began in Casper, Wyoming, when two young men who loved to ski, Mark Lamberson, 22, and his brother, Bruce, 20, wanted to start a business, earn at least $100 a week each and have time for their favorite sport. With a $20,000 loan from a close family friend, they opened Mountain Sports, which became the source for all things alpine skiing and the place to go to find out about the next great outdoor activity before it hit mainstream America.
“We were passionate outdoor enthusiasts ourselves,” said Mark. “We first had a ski shop and then camping and backpacking were becoming new outdoor sports in the ‘70s, beyond Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts. We were early adopters of all these things – water skiing, mountain biking, windsurfing, snowboarding – we’d try them out, buy the gear and our excitement about the next new sport would lead to other people wanting to do it, too.”
“We were having fun and didn’t realize we would be participating in sports that didn’t even exist when we opened the business,” said Bruce Lamberson, who still owns and operates the Casper store. “It was at a time when there was this whole culture shift in America. The Vietnam War was happening, hippies wanted to be outside and there was an emergence of outdoor specialty stores.”
In fall 1973, Mountain Sports opened with 100 puffy jackets in four sizes and three colors. “Nobody had ever seen these before. And they just sold, like, boom!” said Bruce. “Business was really simple back then. We were fearless, probably naïve, and full of energy.”
“We had a tiger by the tail,” said Mark. “From the very beginning, we had tapped into something that was taking off. Our business grew very quickly over the first seven or eight years, and we realized Casper was going to reach its full potential with no room to expand.”
DISCOVERING FLAGSTAFF, LIVING THE OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE
The brothers yearned to grow and that meant expansion into a new location. A friend advised them to check out an Arizona mountain town called Flagstaff. With a business assessment created by a Northern Arizona University business professor, Mark and Rosie made the move with their two young children, Bret and Lisa, and opened Mountain Sports on West Santa Fe Ave., downtown at the underpass in late summer 1980.
“Like many people, we moved to Flagstaff for the lifestyle,” said Mark. “It’s what unites all of us. Rosie and I jumped in with both feet.”
The Lambersons skied as a family. Bret and Lisa raced regionally and participated in Junior Olympics. Mark officiated races in the Olympics and coached national champions. “The outdoors was so important to all of us, and being part of Flagstaff provided such a wonderful sense of community,” said Rosie.
“We were hardwired as kids to love the outdoors, to live for it, to appreciate it. And there wasn’t any shortage of good gear,” said realtor Bret Lamberson, of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, about growing up with his sister, Lisa, and Mountain Sports. “Our dad was adventurous in every respect. I remember wanting a BMX bike for Christmas one year and he said, ‘I have something you’re going to like even more. It’s really cool, called a mountain bike. You’re going to love it.’ And he was right!”
BUILDING COMMUNITY, CHAMPIONING CONSERVATION
Quality was always important to the Lambersons, and Patagonia soon became an important partner. “I remember walking their kids to school in the morning and reading them stories at night,” said Ric Hatch, a retired Patagonia sales representative, who quickly became part of the family. “They are really good people and we were able to do a lot of wonderful things together.”
Hatch would bring Patagonia overstock apparel to Flagstaff for one-day sales at Mountain Sports to benefit non-profit organizations. Grand Canyon Trust was the first to receive a portion of the proceeds.
“We had the whole parking lot on the side of the store to use,” said Grand Canyon Trust Executive Support Director Darcy Allen. “It was great exposure for us to have a business as visible as Mountain Sports singling us out. At the time, we were promoting natural quiet in the canyon and advocating for restricting flights over air corridors to protect the backcountry experience. The family made these events really fun and I feel lucky to have known them. The town is lucky to have them as significant partners, helping to make this a wonderful community.”
Mountain Sports joined Patagonia in their commitment to the 1% for the Planet initiative, giving 1% of all sales to environmental and conservation efforts. The Flagstaff business has been able to grant more than $250,000 to local environmental partnering organizations like The Azulita Project, Friends of Camp Colton and the Grand Canyon Trust.
“Supporting these organizations has been super meaningful to me,” said Lisa. “Without our loyal, longtime customer support, none of that granting of funds would be possible.”
CREATING JOBS, LAUNCHING CAREERS
At one time, Mountain Sports had three stores in Arizona, two in Flagstaff and one in Prescott. In the early 2000s, the business narrowed its focus to primarily an outdoor apparel store, offering mainly Patagonia clothing in Flagstaff’s historic downtown district.
As it has evolved, Mountain Sports has hired hundreds of employees, providing many college students with their first professional job.
“It was pretty cool to be nurtured by Mark and Rosie, who recognized what your potential might be,” said Sarah Morton, who continued in the outdoor recreation industry and later opened “Clear Water Outdoor” in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. “The experience gave me a passion I didn’t know I had about connecting products with the outdoors and getting people into nature. I got my small business management degree from Northern Arizona University, but Mountain Sports catapulted me into entrepreneurship.”
General Manager Brittany Montague has been part of the company for 15 years. “Ultimately, you work to pay for your life, but working at Mountain Sports turns into so much more. You feel encouraged and become passionate about being a contributing member of our community,” she said. “We’ve really established ourselves in the community and have always maintained that fun, relaxed atmosphere in the store. Customer service continues to be our No. 1 focus.”
STRUCTURING A MEANINGFUL LEGACY
For half a century, the name Mountain Sports has been synonymous with outdoor adventure, and the legacy continues. “It is a fun-loving industry that cares deeply about the outdoors,” said Lisa.
She believes businesses should benefit their stakeholders and work effectively to minimize their impact on nature. “We hope to use the power of the business for a higher purpose, for social good. We are looking into becoming a Certified B Corporation [B Corp], which would give us the structure to be the kind of business that promotes social responsibility and has a lasting impact on society.”
Mountain Sports 50th anniversary activities include honoring local artists during First Friday ArtWalks, participating and supporting the Flagstaff Star Party, Sept. 21-23, hosting a Trail to Tavern guided hike and pint night with The Arboretum at Flagstaff on Thursday, Sept. 28 and hosting a free grand celebration open to past and present employees as well as community members and partners at the Orpheum. The Friday, Nov. 3 celebration will include raffles benefiting the 1% for the Planet partnering organizations, stories of 50 years in retail, a slideshow of past employees and locations, a Stroll Highlands VIP lounge, photo booth and more. FBN
By Bonnie Stevens, FBN
For more about upcoming Mountain Sports Flagstaff activities and events, visit mountainsportsflagstaff.com.
Photo courtesy of Kristen Carnes: Mountain Sports co-founder Mark Lamberson and his daughter, owner Lisa Lamberson, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the family owned and operated specialty outdoor retailer that has grown up with Northern Arizona, reflecting the values of its outdoor adventure-oriented customers.
