Eventually, the decision was made to close the big store and commit their efforts to the Patagonia store. In 2016, Mark’s daughter, Lisa Lamberson, purchased the company with her dad staying on as an advisor and bookkeeper.
“Dad’s passion for the industry is incredible,” she says. “Even after 50 years of owning and operating a retail store, he shows up engaged, following industry trends and with an eye always on the financials.”
Adaptability, evolution and loyalty have been at the heart of Mountain Sports Flagstaff’s success. “We’ve sold Patagonia for nearly 40 years, and for the past 20, we’ve been mainly a Patagonia specialty store. That’s an incredible partnership,” says Lisa. “Our longevity as a retailer in Flagstaff is at the core of what we do—a legacy of 43 years of community building with locals.”
To support that, the shop is known as a gathering spot for locals who come to shop, reconnect with friends and make plans for outdoor adventure. In addition, Mountain Sports is active in a wide range of community activities.
“It’s all over the board: First Friday Art Walk, Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trails, and February Chocolate Walk. We host flower pop-ups, pint nights and movie nights. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m not in the event-planning business more than retail,” Lisa laughs.
As an outdoors-oriented retailer, Mountain Sports has been participating in 1% for the Planet, an initiative that gives back 1% of sales to environmental conservation organizations. The shop has been participating since 2002, when it was created by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies. Since then, they have written checks for more than $240,000 to local Flagstaff conservation groups.
“All these organizations share similar values to ours, being kind to our planet and minimizing impacts,” Lisa says. “It also speaks to the fact that people want more than a great jacket—they want to know who we are as a company and what we represent.”
What’s in store for the next 50 years? “We really look forward to continuing to grow in our community,” Lisa says, “and support what’s being asked of us through awesome programming and giving back to the community in time, energy and money.”