Shop Profiles

Underground Snowboards Profile

Give us a quick run-down of your shop and its history.

Opened in 1988 by two long-time locals (long-time now, not then) with $2000 worth of Barfoot TwinTips. (rockered boards, I believe. Nature runs in cycles, I guess it’s time for snowboarding to be easy again!) I, Andy Schultz, started working for these guys in the winter of 96/97 as a lowly snowboard salesman when I moved to Breck, and worked my way through the ranks to become full time manager. Then, in the summer of 05 the owners were looking to sell the business and my assistant manager, Peter Yates, who I had hired a couple years earlier suggested we buy the business. We did, and it’s been sick. We still get to shred almost every day and are our own bosses. We have been successful enough to open a snow/ skate lifestyle apparel store in the winter of 08, which is proving to be a good move as well.

Crazy customers make for good stories, got any really good ones from the past season?

I wouldn’t call him crazy, but we have a customer who comes in for new boots every year, and it’s a process. He’ll probably be in four times for an hour at a time before he decides what boot and what size is gonna make it happen. I never mind bringing him every boot he wants to try, because he loves to shred, and hike, and splitboard, etc. He’s a snowboarder, I’m a snowboarder I can respect that.

What’s the hardest part of working in the shop?

Working the morning shift on a powder day.

“Will you guys sponsor me?” “Do you have any free stickers?” which one do you hear most often?

Way more inquiries into free stickers. If you’re rad enough to be sponsored, you’re sponsored. And these days, you have to be pretty f-ing rad. This is Breckenridge, CO some of the best of the best call it home.

What’s the piece of Rome gear you guys get asked about most often?

Asked for? 390’s Asked about? The Canteen.

What’s the closest shred spot to the shop? What’s your local shred scene like?

Breckenridge Ski Area. As far as the scene, I could do with a few less Steeze McQueens out there, but as long as you stay out of Ceciela’s you’ll never know they’re there.

Describe your local’s run, hot lap or secret pow stash.

My secret pow stash is a couple thousand vertical of shady, well-spaced Colorado spruce, just a short hike away. I’m way too old school to say any more than that.

What’s the worst thing or strangest thing you’ve ever seen brought in for a repair or tune up as far as snowboard equipment goes?

Some of the boards kids bring in that they feel are warranty issues amazes me sometimes. What are you doing on this thing? I know it’s not snowboarding! Worst setup in for a tune? Anything with Flow bindings on it. We throw away more Flow bindings than anyone (after a new binding purchase!)

What’s the best story of a customer trying to return something or ask for their money back?

One guy wanted to return his boots after wearing them a day because he said they weren’t waterproof. He took them off, and his feet were soaked! It was the middle of winter, totally cold, and there was no chance it was snowmelt making this guy’s foot so wet. How do you tell a guy not only that he has a serious foot sweat problem, but no one’s gonna want to buy his sweaty ass boots?

When do you feel that switch go off in your head that snowboard season is coming quick?

Some time in early October, when the sun starts to run a little lower in the sky, shadows are a little longer, the breeze is a little cooler, and the smell of woodsmoke is in the air. But it’s never soon enough.

Is there a particular event or occasion that really kicks the season off in your area?

It really gets going when there’s enough snow to hike peak 10 before they open the chairlift for the season, many sick early season pow runs have been had during this time.

Any celebrity or pseudo-celebrity sightings ever happen in the shop?

Every year. When the real celebs are in town they always just send an assistant or something, but Chris Everett Lloyd bought her son a skateboard here, Goose Gossage has been in a couple times over the years, and we get all levels of pro-shreds in here, (T.Rice, Danny Kass, Temple Cummins, Chopper, Elena Hight, Spencer O’Brien, whatever.)

Visit them online at: www.undergroundsnowboards.com