WE NEVER WERE JUST A SPORTS SHOP
OUR NAME AND OUR PROMISE FOR 50 YEARS
The story of Skiservice begins in 1976 in a humble wooden cabin in Surlej. Half a century later, the family business has become the leading sports retail network in the Grisons. The secrets of its success, however, are still the same fifty years on.
"It was my dad's idea, actually,"
Curdin Conrad (72) recalls. Back in 1960, Surlej was a tiny village surrounded by sweeping hay meadows, and Curdin still a schoolboy. "I used to ride with my dad over to Surlej on a simple horse-drawn cart to fetch hay for our horses. On one of those trips, he told me that an aerial tramway would soon be built, and he felt I should open a sports shop there." The Corvatsch tramway began operating in 1963, and Curdin went on to train as a sporting goods salesman. Later, he spent several years working for the American ski boot manufacturer Hanson. In 1976, Curdin—23 years old by then—made two life-changing decisions: "I built a small wooden cabin in Surlej, and I asked Christina to marry me." Christina, who was then working as a ski instructor, said yes. The two of them founded Skiservice and set up their first tiny shop in that cabin. "The space was some five by five meters," Christina Conrad recalls. "On one wall were the skis, on another the ski boots; there was just enough room in between for some accessories and a bit of ski apparel, and a tiny workshop where we mounted bindings,
«No one had been waiting for another sports shop«
but carrying novel American products, Skiservice quickly made a name for itself. "We brought Hanson ski boots, plate bindings from Spademan, K2 skis, and 'The Ski' to the Engadine," Curdin says proudly. Ski instructors were among the first to discover the small shop and came to get Curdin's expert advice and have their ski boots fitted. "Back then, many people had trouble with their ski boots. We were the first to custom-fit them." Soon, those ski instructors came with their pupils in tow, and the cabin grew increasingly crowded. The Conrads decided that Skiservice should grow and began searching for new ideas wherever they went. "At the big trade fairs, some brands didn't take us seriously yet. They wouldn't even let us onto their stands," Christina recalls. Nevertheless, she and Curdin looked up to the industry pioneers: "Strolz in Lech or Pesko in Lenzerheide were far ahead of us, but their range of products and their beautiful shops inspired us."
«As a young skier, it was great having a sports shop at home«
In 1981, Christina and Curdin began building what would become Skiservice's flagship store on the main road up to the Corvatsch tramway. "It was a risky venture, and we had plenty of sleepless nights. But it paid off." The new store gave Skiservice a new home, and the young family, with the three kids, Conradin, Gregor,and Cindy, a beautiful place to live. "As a young skier, it was great having, a sports shop at home," recalls Conradin, who was a successful juniorracer. "We wouldn't have met in the shop very often, though; I was mostly out skiing and training." Soon, even the new store was too small and was expanded; later, it was expanded yet again, taking onits current form. But Skiservice didn't just invest in retail space. Early on, Curdin recognised that ski gear rental would be the business of the future. "Our rental fleet always featured the latest models from the top brands, and every ski was kept in tiptop shape." Indeed, the world's first fully automated ski tuning machine was shipped to the Skiservice storein Surlej, where it stood in the shop window. "Our guests could watch as the machine tuned their skis in just a few minutes."
The company also expanded beyond Surlej. In 1987, the first branch opened in Silvaplana's former Hotel Conrad. More stores followed in St. Moritz-Dorf, Celerina, Corviglia, Marguns, St. Moritz-Bad, and Pontresina, as well as shops at the Badrutt's Palace Hotel, Kempinski Grand Hotel les Bains, Carlton Hotel, and Grace Hotel. This winter, the new Alpine Sports Lounge & Boutique at the Hotel Kulm joins the network. Today, Skiservice comprises 16 stores and a large workshop in Silvaplana. Christina and Curdin Conrad look back on 50 years of Skiservice with pride. Ten years ago, they handed over the reins to their son Conradin and his wife Karin. Christina now enjoys family life, most of all spending time with her four grandchildren. At the same time, Curdin embarked on a new project with his daughter, Cindy: transforming the old Hotel Conrad, where he grew up, into Conrad's Mountain Lodge and its restaurant,
Conrad's Easy. The family's passion, neye for detail, and warm hospitality are palpable here, too. The house in the heart of Silvaplana quickly became a favourite meeting place for locals and visitors alike.
«Christina and Curdin have trusted us wholly from the very beginning,«
says Karin Conrad, a Berne native who moved to the Engadine in 2004. Karin and Conradin married in 2014 and have been running the family business together ever since. "The business transition took place over several years. Then and now, I can always turn to Christina for advice and benefit from her experience." The two generations share similar family lives: Karin and Conradin have two small children and, at the same time, manage the growing family business together. "Good planning and being able to compromise are essential," Conradin says, and adds vehemently, "But, when push comes to shove, family always comes first." The couple still visit international trade fairs, as well as hotels and sports shops around the globe to find inspiration for their own stores. The recipe for Skiservice's success
cannot be found in any textbook. "We've carried on many of my parents' principles—their warm hospitality and innovative spirit, as well as their uncompromising focus on quality, have defined Skiservice for the past 50 years, and still do today," Conradin explains. He doesn't believe that brick-and-mortar retail stores have been rendered obsolete by the internet. "We never were just a sports shop. We've always been just as much a meeting place for visitors and locals—a place where our guests find tips for the best days of their year."
«Ultimately, Skiservice's success rests on its team«
as it strives tirelessly to create memorable vacations and free time for its guests, says Karin: "Many
of our employees have been with us for years; they have helped shape what Skiservice is today. Our regular guests have known them for years, sometimes decades, and oftentimes real friendships develop from that." For Conradin, sport is not only the DNA of Skiservice, it is also the heartbeat of Engadine tourism. "Sport is an active lifestyle and very likeable. It is the driving force behind many of the events that have made the Engadine Valley famous worldwide. It's impossible to overstate its importance for the region." There is a reason, he adds, why 'ski' is an integral part of the company name. "Skiing is the motor of our region, and I believe it will remain so for a long time. We're clearly seeing renewed enthusiasm—even our younger guests are eager to get back on the mountain."