Carol Fisher-Linn
Happy 40th Birthday, Boardroom Snowboard Shop! Time flies when you are having fun!
Mike and Jodie Timkey opened the doors of Barnyard Ski Rental in 1982-83 in a vintage barn on the old Ray Dineen farm (which become part of Holiday Valley), hence “Barnyard Ski Rental.” Alas, that first year, the barn burned to the ground, clearing the way for a brand-new building on the exact spot. So, forty years ago, in 1984, they started again.
Timing was perfect. The 80’s and 90’s ushered in a period of growth for Ellicottville that basically put it on the map. With Holiday Valley launching itself in January 1958, the dream was that people would come from all over to enjoy these hills. In Edna Northrup’s book, For the Love of Skiing, (p.19) she noted, “Even then meteorologists knew that Ellicottville was the place for skiing.” HoliMont joined the action in 1961, cutting its first trail. And the rest is history. Skiing became the heartbeat of Ellicottville as it grew like topsy over the following years.
At the same time skiing was coming into its own in Ellicottville, two men named Sherman Poppen and Tom Sims developed early snowboard prototypes in the mid-60’s. The sport was inspired by surfing, skateboarding, and skiing, eventually forming its unique identity. Because it is so new, its origins can be tracked back, much unlike snow skiing which was probably around when the cavemen lived in this hilly region. (Note: It was 6000 BCE when the first archeological evidence of skis appeared in Russia.)
Poppen wanted to find a way for his daughters to enjoy the snow, so he attached two skis together with a rope, turning them into one board. This allowed them to stand up on the single plank, hold on to the rope, and control it (somewhat) as it slid down the snow. His wife named it “Snurfer” combing surfing and snow. That was the first known snowboard of sorts – but it needed refining. Along came Tom Sims, who generally gets the credit for creating the first modern boards that provided increased performance and capabilities in the snow. Jake Burton Carpenter appeared on the snowboard scene in 1977, founding Burton Snowboards. This is the first company to offer bindings to keep a rider’s feet better attached to the board – marking a giant leap forward in performance.
Snowboarding was still considered a fringe activity. It wasn’t until the 90’s that snowboarding really took off. So, the ski rental shop changed its personality in 1991 when a friend of Mike Timkey asked if he would take a flyer on a few snowboards. He did, bringing in two for retail and four to rent. They embraced this new fringe culture and they have not turned back. Two kids later and whole bunch of new faces, today they are the area’s only snowboard-specific retail shop, while still offering both daily and seasonal ski and snowboard rentals. The move to snowboard sales/rentals stemmed from the number of ski shops that were springing up all over Ellicottville. Today, son Spencer runs the place much as his parents did, making customers feel right at home as they walk over sleeping beagles or kids toys. They offer a wide range of snowboarding products, including hardgoods, outerwear, helmets and goggles; as well as a full-service shop in addition to everything you need before you set foot on the snow.
Today, Timkey is on board at The Boardroom with his entire staff to guide customers into purchasing/renting the equipment they need, not the equipment they want to sell them. Go to boardsandpowder.com and see what their customers say about them and their attentive service.
A graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Timkey thought he would do something else with his degree, yet he learned exactly what he needed to know to efficiently run The Boardroom. Taking the lessons learned from his parents, he understands exceptional customer service, a unique product curation and a dedication to snowboarding is what will continue to separate The Boardroom from other shops and the Internet. As one of his customers has been known to say, they take care of people “one handshake at a time.”
Find them at 6113 Route 219, Ellicottville (716) 699-5620 and on Instagram at @boardroomeville. Look for the big gray building with red trim between Ellicottville and Holiday Valley Road with “Greetings from Ellicottville” painted on its side by the talented Jon Daly of Brave Buffalo. Timkey thought it would be a fun photo-op for visitors and he confirms that people stop all the time.