Soar Outdoor: A small retailer with big goals
For Dan Jones, one of the highlights of running Soar Outdoor is having folks come in off the street to share their memories of the place. They’ve told him about watching fireworks from the roof of the shopette, about former incarnations of the space –Pilates Bodies, and the Isle of Beauty salon before that. Then there’s always talk of the old Tower, then Crest Theatre, and the freak tornado that touched down on Kearney almost ten years ago now.
Having managed a ski and snowboard shop near the ski resort Angel Fire in New Mexico, Dan decided to open Soar Outdoor this past February along with his wife Kim Stewart. They found an available space on Kearney near their son Aidan’s gymnastic lessons at Dardano’s.
The location at 2208 Kearney suited them perfectly, settled as it was in a community hub. As a small, neighborhood store, Dan feels that he can tailor his shop to the needs of the community – and actively seeks its input.
“We wanted to bring a different take to outdoor retail. Our goal is to be a community-based shop that relies on the community for our direction,” said Dan. “If you want bike shorts and we don’t carry them, we are happy to try and find a brand to fill that niche.”
Dan’s desire is to carry quality products made by companies that provide a sense of style and function that fit the Denver front range lifestyle. He is also happy that his shop fills a retail clothing niche in the neighborhood, for those trying to spend their dollars closer to home.
“Even if we don’t sell a single item, we get to meet new people who give us ideas,” said Dan. “These ideas then become new products, new colors, or new brands.”
Located at 2208 Kearney Street, Soar Outdoor carries a number of brands, including clothing from Patagonia, Prana, Roxy, RVCA, Mountain Hardwear and Marmot; longboards from Never Summer, Sector 9 and Globe; and footwear from Chaco, Salomon and Vans. Open Monday – Wednesday, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Follow Soar Outdoor on Facebook for holiday sales. Visit soaroutdoor.com or call 303-997-5397 for more information.