evo Acquires Whistler Village Sports
The five British Columbia stores will be the first physical presence of evo in Canada.
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In a way, Bryce Phillips is coming home. The Founder and CEO of action sports retailer evo spent a number of his formative years developing as a professional skier in Whistler before starting his successful retail company. Now, almost two decades after he first worked with Whistler Village Sports, he’s the new owner.
“I’m not sure that there could be a more full-circle story,” said Phillips in a press release, who first arrived in Whistler in 1997. “After launching the original evogear.com website in 2001, I started buying skis from Dave/Whistler Village Sports. I could never have imagined that nearly 15 years later we’d be buying the business.”
Since it was founded in 1980, Dave Milley has made Whistler Village Sports one of Whistler’s top independent retailers. The company operates a total of five retail stores: Whistler Village Sports, Excess Backcountry, Excess Ski + Sport, Mountain Riders, and Sportstop.
“Whistler Village Sports was one of the first sports stores in the Village, and I know Bryce will continue our independent legacy and keep that part of Whistler going as a community store,” said Milley, who will stay on the team along with all of the company’s current employees.
“We have a lot of long-term staff that have been with us with years of experience,” Milley says, “and everyone is stoked on the fit with evo. They have a very similar culture and attitude toward the business and enjoying the outdoors.”
“To be spending time here with my wife and kids, building relationships with the Whistler Village Sports team and connecting with good friends throughout the Sea to Sky corridor really is a dream come true,” says Phillips. “I can’t wait for all that is to come.”
You can find out more information about the acquisition on evo’s website.