Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Brachold.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Rich. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I began skiing in 1954 at 3 years old with my family. I Began ski racing when I was 11. Went to the University of Maine and skied on their Division I ski team for four years and coached the team for two more years while working on my Master’s Degree. After a number of jobs which included professional musician, school teacher and business owner in electronics, I fulfilled my desire to get back to the ski industry and opened our shop in 1988.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was not always easy. The recession of 1991/2 was a challenge, many shops didn’t make and were forced to close. We survived and continued stronger and wiser. Building our own building in 2000 wasn’t an easy task but through perseverance we got it done and may have been the most important step in establishing our shop as a major player in the retail ski business.
Village Ski & Snowboard – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Village Ski & Snowboard is a retail ski and snowboard shop. We cater to families offering a number of affordable junior programs as well as to high-end, expert level recreation skiers and riders. Our customers know us for the knowledge we have about the brands we sell as well as the service we provide after the sale. Our ski and board service department is second to none with late model automated equipment and a technical staff with a deep knowledge in tuning.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me has been the ability to start a business, keep it growing through 29 (some of those tough) years and have it become one of the most successful ski shops in the Northeast.
Contact Info:
- Address: 345 W. Central St., Franklin MA 02038
- Website: villageski.com
- Phone: 508-520-3832
- Email: villageski@msn.com
- Facebook: Village Ski & Snowboard Franklin, MA
Image Credit:
Image 6 & 7 courtisy of Omar Rawlings/OPhoto
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