Land Park Ski & Sports owner Carson Schmidt poses in the shop on Freeport Boulevard.

 

LAND PARK, CA (MPG) – For Carson Schmidt, the path to owning a business was less a deliberate pursuit than an opportunity that fell into his lap.

Land Park Ski & Sports, located in an A-Frame on Freeport Boulevard, sought new ownership earlier this year following the retirement of long-time owner Bill Proffit.

Schmidt, a Land Park local, had worked at the shop for the past six years.

“It was my really only job,” he. said. Over the summer, the opportunity opened for him to take on the business.

The shop sells winter sports gear including skis, snowboards, boots, clothing and more.

According to Schmidt, the transition to owner has been fairly seamless due to preparations made leading up to the changeover.

“It’s definitely a little bit more of a social presence, which is a little different,” Schmidt said.

According to the 22-year-old, there is a strong sense of community in Land Park, where he lives just around the corner from the shop.

“Everybody knows everyone, so I can’t be anywhere without these people,” he said. The business also seeks to give back to the community through sponsoring local schools and nonprofits.

“We sponsor a lot of the school events,” he said.

Schmidt is an active skier himself and was responsible for saving a man’s life last season at Palisades Tahoe ski resort following a series of deadly avalanches. His story was featured on news segments including the Today Show.

That experience led him to want to create more awareness surrounding the dangers of the sport. 

“Snow is scary,” Schmidt said. “There’s doom and gloom sometimes, but you gotta be educated.”

According to Schmidt, the store is looking to expand their custom boot-fitting services.

Schmidt said he hopes that Land Park Ski & Sports can play a part in raising awareness through community events such as awareness nights or dinners.

As an industry that relies heavily on the ski season, business can fluctuate throughout the year. Because of this, the shop offers season leases on equipment, allowing customers to rent equipment for an entire year, garnering income in the off season.

The business is located roughly 113 miles from popular ski destinations like Lake Tahoe.

“I think it’s really important to keep the money in Sacramento,” Schmidt said. “It’s how community grows.”

As owner, Schmidt said he ultimately hopes to carry on the legacy left by Proffit, who started the business 47 years ago.

“I’d love to live up to that expectation,” he said.

According to Tom Gwinn, longtime employee of the business, Proffit made an impact in the way he met and treated customers positively.

“It’s important in any business,” Gwinn said.

Schmidt also explained the tight-knit relationships between employees, many of whom, like Gwinn, have become more like family.

Land Park Ski & Sports is located at 4207 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento.

“He’s (Proffit) really given a lot of people a home,” Schmidt said. “And appreciated them and grown with them, wants them to flourish. So I’d love to continue that.”

In Schmidt’s time as owner so far, the staff has remained the same.

“Everybody’s super open with me taking over and excited for me, and I’ m excited that they were willing to stay with me,” Schmidt said.

Other services offered by the business include short-term rentals, boot fittings, full-service equipment tuning and mounting.

Gwinn and Schmidt both look forward expanding the shop’s custom boot-fitting services.

Land Park Ski & Sports is located at 4207 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.