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Posted on 5/28/2025 by Erik H. Reisner

Here’s a follow up on former commercial real estate client Travis Kerr who made his first real estate purchase with MRVRE back in 2016. We love success stories!

Erik: It's been almost 9 years since you opened Splinters Boardshop, and in 2023 you were able to put on an addition and expand your business. Other than blood, sweat, and tears; what do you equate your success and growth to?

Travis: Yup, opened in 2016, addition in 2023, lots of blood sweat and tears ha-ha. Our success must go to our community. Between our customers and some great employees, we've managed to grow year over year since opening. We continue to add brands to improve our retail offering, and with the addition added to our rental and demo services. I think my and our main motivation is to better serve our customers, if that remains our focus, I'd like to think our success will continue.

Erik: I've seen your slogan "Community not Core." What does that mean?

Travis: Most people would label us as a "core shop". Meaning we are rider owned, sponsor a local team, do things authentically. However, a lot of "core" shops have the reputation of not being very friendly, cool guy behind the counter judging newbies, etc. We are the exact opposite, while we fit the description of a core shop we think of ourselves as a community shop. We do it the right way, guide people towards proper gear, while being friendly and welcoming with an effort to grow our sport, and share our culture with more people, rather than gatekeep and call people posers.

Erik: What types of events do you sponsor? How do these events help support your business?

Travis: We are an official sponsor of Sugarbush Parks, so we sponsor a lot of events up on the hill. We also work with the Warren Skatepark, I'm the treasurer on the board there. Mostly just fun contests and one big concert every year in August. Honestly, I don't know how much return we get from that investment, but I look at it as marketing, branding, and building relationships with our community which I like to think does bring business in the long term.

Erik: I've always had the belief that for a new business to succeed in the Mad River Valley it must survive on locals and thrive on tourism. Has that been the case for Splinter's Boardshop?

Travis: I couldn't agree more. We are lucky to have a great local following that keeps us going in the slower weeks and really cater to our second homeowners and vacationers keeping both perspectives in mind. As much as we all love living here and appreciate our diehard locals, business owners in the Valley must be aware that potentially 50% of our revenue comes from out of staters, and that's great. Day rentals and demos are mostly for tourists, and I'd say most our shoes and clothing sells to locals.

Erik: You have a great website for your merchandise at Splinters Boardshop. What percentage of your business is online sales?

Travis: During peak winter season, online is only about 5-10% of our sales. It's a great resource for our slower summer season where it balloons to 20%+ of our revenue. It's a great way to move our discounted winter leftovers and grow our customer base nationwide.

Erik: From where you stand now with your business. Looking back, would you have done anything differently?

Travis: I would have bought more property before 2020 ha-ha. No, I'm proud of what we've done. I could have pushed the website earlier, I could have done the addition in 2019 before building costs blew up, but in all reality, I think we've done very well for our first 8 seasons.

Erik: Anything new and exciting for Splinter's Boardshop?

Travis: Ya know I think after surviving 2020/2021 and then doing the addition in 2023, I'm ready to just dial in our operation over the next year. I don't want to get stuck in the bigger vision and start slipping on the day to day. So, I'd say for the next year we'll be sticking with our current program but dialing in the efficiency and improving our customer experience. Onwards and upwards!