The Kayak Shack opens second location

Tag : five-finger socks

Published April 20, 2008 05:16 am - The new store is at the southwest end of the Food Court atChamplain Centre. It offers kayaks but also an expanded line ofclothing and accessories.

The Kayak Shack opens second location
'We are thinking about keeping it open year round"

By DAN HEATH
Staff Writer


PLATTSBURGH -- Riding the wave of last year's successful launch,the owners of The Kayak Shack have opened a second location.
Owner Patty Husband said her store at Champlain Centre has beenopen since early March.
"We refer to this as our mini Kayak Shack," she said.
The original store is at 3999 Route 9 in the Town of Plattsburgh,across from Valcour Island. It is seasonal, open from May throughOctober.
"We decided to have a pre-season opening here. It has worked outwell enough that we are thinking about keeping it open year round,"Husband said.
The first location is stocked with so many kayaks there's not muchroom for clothing and other accessories, she said. The new locationprovides an opportunity to display more of those items.
Husband said there is a great selection of cold-water gear andclothing, such as dry sacks, wet socks, gloves, leisure wear andfoot -wear. A line of five-finger shoes by Vibram is one of theshop's biggest sellers, Husband said.
The footwear is best described as a foot glove and is like beingbarefoot, but with protection. The product won a Time magazineaward as one of the best new products of 2007.
Another popular line is footwear by Sanuk, sandals that alsomasquerade as casual shoes. There is even some themed jewelry froma local jewelry shop, the Silver Dragonfly.
The Kayak Shack offers a free lesson with any kayak purchase, aswell as 10 percent of all accessories, such as a paddle, life vest,roof rack and more. Those who buy a kayak are also allowed one freerental, for a friend or family member who might want to give thesport a try, she said.
The new store also provides a chance to promote and book the tours,lessons and rentals available at the other store. They opened theoriginal store because they were surprised that with all thebeautiful lakes and rivers in the area, there wasn't a companydedicated to paddlers that included a full range of services, suchas tours, lessons and rentals.
There are a variety of tours led by The Kayak Shack staff. Husbandsaid the "Padoga" tour is somewhat unique, a combination of apaddle to Valcour Island and back with a yoga class on the island.
The Sunset Tour is a two-hour tour that allows views of the sunsetalong the Adirondack Coast, launched from the Peru boat launchevery Thursday night during summer.
"It's a nice, relaxing, fun paddle for any ability," Husband said.
Once a month, a Full Moon Tour provides views of the moonrise abovethe Green Mountains. There are also Valcour Island and Bluff PointLighthouse tours.