Trailheads

As we walk into International Mountain Equipment (IME) in North Conway, NH, we’re impressed with the wall of climbing gear behind the checkout counter. The lengthy display includes rows and rows of carabiners, quickdraws, cams, runners, ropes, and axes in a rainbow of colors. It’s like a candy store for climbers.

For the Trailheads crew, IME is the final stop for our New England Switchback Roadshow. We’ve been traveling the region for several days, visiting outdoor retailers to learn more about their businesses.

However, we haven’t seen anything quite like IME in our Roadshow travels. Since Rick Wilcox opened the shop in 1979, it has remained a hardcore climbing store. Wilcox is a fixture in the U.S. climbing community, having guided extensively in Nepal. In 1991, he reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Over the decades, he and his store have become icons in the outdoor industry. As many stores are moving away from hardgoods and backcountry pursuits, IME is a throwback to the industry’s early days.

When we meet with General Manager Brady Callahan, he tells us that the store’s dedication to climbing and old-school ways remain a recipe for success.

“Since we’ve come out of Covid, we’ve been growing every single season,” he says. “This was our first year to hit a million dollars in revenue.”

Doing One Thing Well

Callahan says IME is thriving because it’s not concerned with being everything for all people. “The key is identifying what you are good at and making sure that you are the best,” he says.

After four decades in business, IME is recognized as a prime resource for climbers and mountaineers. “If someone from New York City wants to buy climbing boots, they want to buy them from the person who has stood on top of Mount Everest,” says Callahan. 

The store has sometimes broadened its scope to serve specific categories, like backcountry skiing. However, in recent years, the shop has scaled back those efforts to avoid saturated markets and invest more in its core business.

“For decades, we were at the cutting edge of carrying high-end equipment for backcountry skiing,” says Callahan. “But now, Alpine touring and backcountry skiing are so big they’re not a niche anymore. So, in recent years, we’ve reduced our quantity of ski equipment.”

IME has also changed its approach to selling apparel. For the past decade, it hasn’t sold any new clothing, says Callahan, explaining that a small shop can’t keep its margins and compete with prices offered by online sellers and large retailers.

However, the store has a good selection of consignment clothing. “We’ll carry anything that belongs in the mountains, from baselayers to shells to puffy expedition-style clothing,” says Callahan, adding that IME has sold consignment items for 20 years, long before the recent trend in secondhand selling.

With its consignment business and broad selection of climbing gear, IME has set itself apart from other stores in the region. “There are very few places where you can find this type of product assortment with the expertise and the people to back it up,” says Callahan.

Caring for the Community

Another unique aspect of IME is its involvement in the local outdoor community. For more than 40 years, Wilcox served as the president of New Hampshire’s Mountain Rescue Service. This 60-person volunteer team, organized by New Hampshire Fish and Game, rescues hikers, climbers, and skiers in the White Mountains. The team stores its equipment and stages rescues in the basement of the IME building.

“Half of our employees are members of the Mountain Rescue Service,” says Callahan. IME staff members are also active in the Friend of the Ledges, a volunteer organization that preserves and protects New Hampshire and Maine climbing areas. In addition, shop employees have held posts with the Mount Washington Valley Climbers Cooperative, which is working to build an inclusive indoor climbing and training gym.

Going Old School

While IME has only six employees, they are all dedicated climbers. Their enthusiasm for the sport is the backbone of the business, and IME gives them the flexibility to pursue their passion. As a business, IME is decidedly non-corporate.

“There’s not some corporate bigwig just raking in six figures sitting behind the veil,” says Callahan. “At the end of the day, Rick’s a climber. I’m a climber. We understand where our employees are coming from.”

There are no written employment contracts and few formal policies. “If you’re sick for a week, we’ll keep paying you anyway,” says Callahan. “If you’re on a call with the Mountain Rescue Service, and we need to pay someone else to cover for you, we’re still going to pay you. None of this stuff is written down because we don’t want to restrict anyone.”

This unconventional way of doing business is very much influenced by Wilcox, who doesn’t have a cell phone or an email address. And his company does not rely on computer systems.

It’s as old school as it gets.

“Sometimes people come in here and say, ‘You guys are falling behind.’ They say we should be taking advantage of this and that,” says Callahan. “And we just say, ‘No, we’re doing just fine.’ We’re having the best years ever.”