Buy Local Shop Profile: Silver Creek Paddle, Minneapolis, MN
Location
610 NE 9th St Minneapolis, MN 5541
What board companies do you carry?
Pau Hana Surf Supply, Red Paddle Co, Imagine
What paddles do you carry?
Accent/Cannon Paddles, Bending Branches, AquaBound
Do you have Paddleboard Rentals?
Yes
Do you offer lessons?
No
What other services do you provide?
Free demo’s, wedding Party events, group paddle events, week-long and weekend-long rentals.
What kind of paddling settings and conditions are near your shop? Remember – we need all the details!! Make us want to paddle there!
Minneapolis/St. Paul is filled with lakes and rivers. Within 30 minutes I can put customers on dozens of lakes, the Minnesota River, the Mississippi River, and the St. Croix River. Not to mention Lake Superior (which you can surf on a stormy day if you’re brave enough), super fun white-water rivers like the Kettle River, and many wild and scenic rivers within a 2-hr drive.
What is it about paddling that gets you up in the morning? That gets you excited? We REALLY want to know!
I’ve been on the water my whole life. I grew up going to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with my family and kayaked and rafted all over the Western US. When Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) first showed up I thought it would be a fad and disappear quickly. Then I tried it. There is something holy and unique about standing on the water. You move differently and pace yourself differently. As a mom of two small kids I am desperate to find moments of peace and quiet. Those moments are found, now, most frequently on the water. Just me and my board and maybe a Common Loon or two.
What is your biggest challenge as a retailer?
Trying to be many places at once. There are only two of us and our passion is getting people on the water. So it’s hard to find time to staff the shop when people want to just stop by. We have to do appointments and that limits our customer interaction greatly.
On a scale of 1-10 how healthy is the sport?
10
On a scale of 1-10 how likely will the sport continue to grow in this next year?
10
Where will we see the growth if any?
We are in Minnesota and there is a fair amount of knowledge about the sport in the metro area but once you get outside the Twin Cities it’s really hit or miss. With over 10,000 lakes I think it’s just starting to grow. So I think we will see more sales, bigger turn outs at races, inclusion of paddleboards in city and county parks, and more guided SUP trips and experiences.
Do you have any advice for manufacturers?
Pre-season deals are key. Margins are such a huge part of our planning for upcoming years so it makes a big difference when your pre-season deals are really good. Also, so many manufacturers focus their promotional materials on the coasts and exotic ocean vacation spots. All good. However, we land-locked fold are a HUGE market and it’s frustrating when we have no promotional materials that reflect that.
Describe your local paddle community. When do you get together and what are they like?
We have a very tight and incredibly active paddling community here in the Twin Cities. There is a lot of mutual support not only among paddlers but between most dealers as well. At Silver Creek Paddle we thoroughly believe there is so much to be gained by encouraging and supporting other local dealers. We all win when we represent the sport for what it is, an amazing opportunity to be on the water and to really soak up our short but amazing Minnesota summers.
What local events do you have and what are their dates and locations?
Saturday May 28th from 10-Noon Free SUP demo event at Lake Josephine in Roseville, MN
We will be representing Pau Hana Surf Supply and Red Paddle Co at The Great American Canoe Festival in Ely, MN JUNE 10-12, 2016
We will be featuring Red Paddle Co at the South Metro Paddle Experience on June 25th, 2016
Sand Point Beach in Prior Lake.
Free demos are available by appointment from June 10-September 5th
Demo/Used and End of Season Clearance Sale Saturday September 10th from 4-8PM at our Warehouse 610 NE 9th St. Minneapolis MN 55414
Best piece of SUP advice you give to paddlers?
Make sure the board fits you, take your time getting started, and have SO MUCH FUN!
What are your must-have accessories for every paddler?
Waterproof camera
Website
http://silvercreekpaddle.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/SilverCreekPaddle/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/scpaddle
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