Meeting people halfway and making green accessible is what Josh Sims says sets his business, The Gear Fix, apart. For many outdoorsy locals, stopping in during lunch break to rummage through the climbing gear (or snow sports selection in the winter) is a weekly ritual. For tourists and others, buying used outdoor gear just wasn't on their radar as recently as 10 years ago. Sims thinks his business model has changed that.
Offering consignment equipment in virtually all genres of outdoor sports and repair in the form of cobbling, ski repair, bike repair, sewing and do-it-yourself paraphernalia, The Gear Fix supports customers in buying used or helping maintain the equipment outdoor patrons already have.
"I think folks voted for us," explains Sims, "because of what we represent, and not just because we're keeping things out of the landfill. Since the beginning we wanted to not just make buying used and repair accessible, but we also wanted to 'normalize' it. I never understood why retail companies didn't partake in some of this model, taking back gear they sold and allowing folks to put it towards an upgrade. I figured if you could build a successful business model around doing this, that maybe it might change the mindset of other business and manufacturers when it comes to re-use and over-producing."
That change is happening through services offered at The Gear Fix, one stitch at a time.
2nd Place: Zamp Solar
