An outdoor store dedicated to supporting the local community, Pine Mountain Sports is a dynamic community in and of itself. It is driven by a mission to make staff and customers feel welcome and important. At the heart of it all is Dan McGarigle, the shop’s charismatic owner who wakes up every day, looks out his blinds and says one word: “Stoked.” With a love for Central Oregon, McGarigle leads with gratitude, trust and the motto, “People will forget what you do and say, but they will always remember how you make them feel.” Bend Magazine shares a conversation with Dan McGarigle, revealing not only the origins and impetus behind Pine Mountain Sports, but the humility and heart that has made it the champion of community it is today.
Q: Pine Mountain Sports has been a cornerstone of the outdoors community in Bend since 2000. Tell us about its origins.
I was the kid with the garage where all the BMX kids hung out—I had all the little drawers with all the little bike parts. In the summer, we’d build ramps and fly off these big jumps into a pond. Then we’d go back to my garage and rebuild our bikes. In spring of ‘96, I moved to Bend and got a job working as a bike mechanic at Hutch’s Bicycles Westside–I was there until 2000 when the guys at Hutch’s jumped on an opportunity to open what was then the second outdoor store in all of Bend. I walked into Hutch’s one day, and the manager said, “Dan, we want you to run this new store for us.” So I did. After three years, I purchased Pine Mountain Sports from Hutch’s and moved into [the Century Drive] location in 2004.
Q: To what do you attribute Pine Mountain’s longevity?
I love bikes and I love skiing. But I don’t believe my passions for those activities would have fueled me to stay in this industry. Providing an outstanding experience to our guests and participating in the community at the level that a business can are the things that keep me passionate about what we do. The great thing is, it makes my mom smile. And if something makes my mom smile, I know I’m doing it right.
Q: Your Community Ambassador program has benefited so many nonprofits in our community. How did it get started?
We were fortunate to have Bob Woodward work in the retail store for a year and that’s like having Michael Jordan play on your 8th grade basketball team. He said, “You can continue to offer goods and services to the community and hope that they come to you, or you can go out to the community and tell them why.” This was one of the first times I saw the difference between working in the business versus working on the business. We started a 1% program–donating to five nonprofits here in Bend; but we weren’t maximizing the story that could be told. So we designed the Community Ambassador Program–partnering with one nonprofit for an entire year—using our vehicle to tell their message. Nonprofits have a hard time connecting with small businesses and individuals, especially inside the outdoor community of Bend. That’s where the magic of this program is–we’re simply just connecting the dots. The money raised is essential, but what’s more important is that we are giving nonprofits the opportunity to form new relationships. We focus on access to education, healthcare, shelter and food–the bare essential needs of a family. The magic about the nonprofit community here is that they truly lift each other up. That builds a lot of camaraderie, and we get to be part of that network. I don’t know what feels better than providing a family shelter or making sure kids don’t go through the weekend without a meal. It’s just the right thing to do. And it makes my mom smile.
Q: What do you want people to say when they hear the name Pine Mountain Sports?
“I love going there.” We’ve learned that what we do is one small part of the whole picture– it’s how we do it that matters. A while back, we had a customer named Wes who loved us, but we weren’t providing him the best service. He actually wrote a song about us that went, “Danny, without consistency, you’ll never have integrity.” That messaging came at a really important time for the development of the organization, but also for my personal development. I wasn’t taking the opportunity to evolve into a true business owner. I needed to learn. I wanted to become a better business leader, a better general leader and more importantly, a better person. Our goal is really simple: we want people to be in a better mood leaving here than when they walked in the door. What do I want people to say when they hear the name Pine Mountain Sports? I want them to say, “Man, I love that place.”
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