Gordon Campbell-Kelly brings years of industry and retail experience to his new family-oriented shop on the Island of Montreal, Golden Sports.
He got his start as a tech at Giant by Teal Sport in Quebec and worked for numerous other shops before taking on a customer service role for Oakley in Canada four years ago. Campbell-Kelly later rose into retail marketing at the sunglass brand, handling accounts throughout Canada.
All that experience is brought to bear on his 2,000-square-foot store directly on the shore of Lake Saint-Louis.? "Being on the lakeshore was pretty key for me. I don't think I would've done this if I hadn't gotten this location," Campbell-Kelly said.
The location puts him right on a major cycling route during the riding season and at the shore during the winter, when Golden Sports will sell snowsports equipment to cross-country skiers traversing the frozen lake. The shop carries ski brands including K2, Armada and Atomic in addition to snowboards from Ride and K2 and snowshoe gear.
On the cycling side of the business, Campbell-Kelly is stocking BMX, road, mountain and cruiser bikes from Norco, Kona and Felt, as well as fixies from State Bicycle Co.
The store's modern but simple design keeps the customers' focus on the product. "Even though I've got a lot of bikes in here, it's got a nice look to it and it's still pretty clean," Campbell-Kelly said.?
He also designed his own racks to hold both bikes and skis, easing the transition between selling seasons. And a coffee bar by the service area allows customers to linger over a cuppa Joe while watching their bikes get a wrenching.
