Shopping in Midland

In 1980, Paul Montgomery's ski shop—along with everything in it—burned to the ground. All of his hopes and dreams, reduced to ash. As a teenager, Paul had tuned skis in a neighbourhood ski shop. After earning a degree in computer science, he decided to forego the fast-paced lifestyle of the tech industry—with its outsized salaries and lascivious solicitations from Ms. Pac-Man—and open a 900-square-foot ski shop adjacent to a ski lodge. And that's when he lost everything. But just four days after the fire, he decided he would continue to sell skis out of his home. As it turned out, many of the ski-club members had lost their gear when the lodge burned down, and they flocked to his home in droves. In one weekend, he'd sold more skis than he had in the previous year.

In the decades that followed, Paul struggled through financial difficulties and recurring nightmares about teaching dinosaurs to ski, but continued to expand the business he had once nearly lost. Today, Skiis & Biikes boasts five locations across the country and more than 50,000 square feet of skiing, snowboarding, and cycling necessities. More than 100 dedicated staff members channel their love of outdoor recreation into the kind of dedicated salesmanship that has earned the shop its hard-won success.

Canvas on Demand, backed by celebrity spokesperson Ty Pennington, transfers photos onto gallery-ready canvases. Different display options allow clients to divide one photo over three panels or group a series of photo canvases in one of 12 wall configurations. A pixel-painting option digitally modifies images, lending them the swirling texture of traditional oil paintings.

The Skater's Performance keeps athletes' tools in top shape with hockey equipment and equipment-maintenance services. Though everything from Cascade hockey helmets to Kewl apparel lines the shelves, the knowledgeable staff shines brightest when fixing existing gear. Skate repair and sharpening keeps athletes speeding down the ice during breakaways or cutting steaks on the bench between shifts, and skate profiling shapes blades to conform to each player's centre of gravity, improving their overall control. Additionally, Sani Sport technology sanitizes a variety of sports gear, eliminating the bacteria that causes odour and potential infections.