winchester — More than a decade ago, avid backpacker Garry Green took a job at an outdoor gear store out of his love for adventurous pastimes, but he never expected he would have the opportunity to buy the store out from his friends and boss a few years later. I didn't.
Mountain Trails, now located at the Loudoun Street Mall in Old Town Winchester, is celebrating its 31st year in business, and its popularity seems to be growing by the day, Green said. The retailer has been featured in magazines, opened its third store, and attracted new customers.
What is his explanation? The store offers Winchester shoppers a combination of high-quality experiences and items they can't find anywhere else in the city.
“You get hooked,” Green said. “That means we care about people, we care about product quality, and we literally fall in love with the research and development of fabrics and their functionality.”
Product quality and consideration for consumers are often unique to small businesses, Green said.
National Small Business Week, proclaimed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, will run through Saturday to recognize the economic and community achievements of businesses considered essential to the U.S. economy.
According to an Associated Press report in April, small business formations are at a record number across the United States. In 2023, 5.5 million new business applications were filed in the United States, almost 500,000 more than the previous year.
Winchester and its surrounding areas are known for the frequent and often successful growth of grassroots and family-run businesses. The region's natural and historical destinations, complemented by a vibrant shopping and dining scene, are attractive to tourists, which is sometimes cited as a partial explanation for its association with small businesses. .
“I was shocked at how many people came here just for holidays and vacations,” said Jillian, who opened Lion and Lamb Fashion Boutique on North Cameron Street with her sister-in-law almost a year ago.・Maggie said.
Companies rely on consumers to stay in business, so where they spend their money matters, she said.
Kristin Kriz, director of the Laurel Ridge Small Business Development Center, painted a similar picture, but in numbers. For every $100 he spends at local establishments, approximately $68 remains in the local economy. And for every $100 spent at a non-local establishment, approximately $40 remains in the local economy.
The positive impact of small businesses doesn't stop there, McGhee added, emphasizing the quality of their services and products.
“Boutique shopping is so special,” said the Virginia resident, who has lived there for about three years. “I feel like I have a friend that I always go shopping with. I'm looking for something by myself at a big box store, and then I go to the park and 17 of my other girlfriends are shopping with me. “I see you wearing it.'' ”
“I think it gives it more personality,” McGee added. “And promote a healthy downtown system.”
Mr. McGee and his business partner, Molly McGee-Hanson, are no strangers to startups, having owned businesses in Canada, California and elsewhere.
Lion and Lamb Fashion Boutique was their first venture in Virginia, and after nearly a year in existence, the pair discovered an unfamiliar element in the Winchester area's social landscape.
“The community feel in Winchester is really strong and it's very welcoming,” McGee said. “Everyone wants everyone else to succeed, and there's no animosity. … It feels like home, you know?”
For the two fashion entrepreneurs, whose clothing store is not far from Loudoun Street Mall, the cold season is the most difficult time of the year. As spring approaches and the weather warms, we're seeing more and more eager shoppers arriving on foot.
Ms Green echoed her sentiments, noting that the store, previously located on Cork Street, is now located in the Walking Mall, reaching a wider audience.
“If Winchester wasn't so quaint and full of history and just a gorgeous neighborhood, I probably wouldn't have moved here,” Green said, adding that the town was not previously known as I pointed out that it was far away from where I was. Based in North Carolina, Alaska, and California.
Mountain Trails currently employs 18 people across its two stores: its flagship store in Winchester and its second store in Front Royal. Since then, success has “exploded” and the company plans to open a third location in Davis, West Virginia in about three weeks, and will be featured in Virginia Living magazine's “Best of Virginia 2023” issue. , he said.
Asked what he has done to ensure upward growth despite years of operation, Green said the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst for the outdoor craze. It pointed out. People went camping, went for walks and enjoyed nature, often because they had no other options due to the large-scale shutdown, but “we found that a lot of people loved it.” '' he said with a laugh.
Green continued that interest in outdoor brands is increasing with the increase in hikers, campers, mountaineers and other adventurers. Mountain Trails products are intentionally curated and collected, he said, whereas many people only know about big companies like “Under Armor, Columbia, Nike, or the stuff you see in the mall.” did.
“Some of the brands and products we have here are not available anywhere else,” Green said. “Businesses are unique.
“That's what people are looking for. They're not looking for McDonald's or Walmart.”
