BACKSHOP
TOP SHOPS
THE BUSINESS OF HIGH-END SKI TUNING
(THIRD IN A THREE-PART SERIES) BY DAVE PESZEK
Jim Schaffner at work in the Start Haus.
This past season, I set out to tap into
the business side of ski tuning specialty
retailers — of the roughly 3,800 ski and
snowboard storefronts nationally, the most
elite of the elite. I sought out retailers that
specialize in ski tuning, and have active or
former international level technicians that
own or manage them. I ended up with a list
of 13 top shops, and asked them each the
same set of questions. While two retailers
(Precision Ski in Frisco, Colo.; and Podium
in Park City) were unable to participate in
the unofficial survey, the answers others
provided were a worthwhile glimpse of
what goes into a fast pair of race skis.
This issue, you’ll hear from Start Haus
in Truckee, Calif., the Waxroom in
Ketchum, Idaho; SkiMD in Framingham,
Mass.; and Richter Race Service, based in
Breckenridge, Colo.
