Industry News
If you have skied in Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, or Washington, you’ve likely seen a Christy Sports store. Christy Sports rents out and sells outdoor gear for winter and summer sports; they are often found at the base of ski resorts and have over 60 locations across five states.
In 2019, Christy Sports purchased four locations from a small chain, Stay Tuned Ski & Sport, in Pitkin County, CO. Mark and Linda Chapdelaine, owners of the small chain of stores, are suing Christy Sports, claiming that they are still owed $172,500. The 2019 documents state that the four stores were sold for $836,000.
The agreement included a withhold of $190,000, to be paid in monthly installments under certain conditions. These payments are required if the lease of two of the purchased stores in Snowmass Village had “not been terminated by the landlord” as of that date, the agreement states.
The Chapdelaines claim that Christy Sports “failed to renew its lease” for the two stores in May 2022. However, Christy Sports allegedly only paid one monthly payment of $17,500, leading the Chapdelaines to sue for the remaining $172,500.
“The landlord did not refuse to renew the lease,” the lawsuit states. “Defendant violated the terms of the holdback agreement when it chose not to renew.”
Additionally, in another Pitkin lawsuit, the Snowmass Center landlord claims that Christy Sports did renew its lease at one of these properties. Supposedly, the lease was renewed through August 2025, but Christy Sports closed the store and allegedly owes $17,480 in rent. Christy Sports responded that they renewed monthly and denied owing the $17,480.
Are lawsuits of this kind an indication that we should support smaller local own shops? Or is this irrelevant to all of our lives? It ignites nostalgia for times when we knew our local shop owners, being greeted by a friendly face whenever we wandered into our regular stores. Perhaps, this is a reminder to return to the roots and support our local shops and resources.
