ASPENX expands to Snowmass Base Village

ASPENX is kicking off its third winter season with the opening of a new store in Snowmass Base Village on Friday. Located in the former Performance Ski space, at the base of Snowmass Mountain, steps from the Village Express lift and Elk Camp Gondola, ASPENX’s second location aims to provide the same personalized by-appointment rental service and mountain wear that can be found in the original location in Aspen’s Gondola Plaza.

“This has been a dream because I grew up skiing in Aspen and Snowmass. My family has been coming since I was 4 years old,” said Darcy Loeb, COO, of ASPENX. “I have so many happy childhood memories here. Even the family dog was named Aspen. To be back here, raising my two sons with my husband, it has come full circle.”

She acknowledged that the young brand has gone through some growing pains and that it has heard feedback from the community and is in the process of adjusting and evolving the business to better exemplify the Aspen Idea of “Mind, Body, Spirit.”

“Conceptually, ASPENX was developed to test new ideas. We’re an experimental brand, we’ve tried things that didn’t work, but we learn and we’re pivoting,” she said. “Some of the things that work well are our rental service and heritage sweater line.  You’ll be seeing more from us with more approachable price points and going back to our ski roots. That is where we’re going to be evolving. At the end of the day, our products and marketing represent the company and the community. And so, we are taking that responsibility seriously to get it right and are going to be partnering with the community along the way.”

With a staff of about 50, most of whom live and work in the Roaring Fork Valley, ASPENX is focusing on expanding its in-house design and own product development, which is led by Kalle McKisson. An Aspen local, she serves as head of product development. After a stint away during college and other adventures, she returned to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2007 for a career in fashion.

“I was born and raised in Aspen and have always appreciated what a special place it is to grow up,” she said. “I’m thrilled to be working with ASPENX, and with my husband, we’re raising our adventurous 3-year-old who loves to ski and swim.”

The new line of mountain wear is performance-focused with sustainability an important pillar of the process.  All the garments have been extensively worn and rigorously tested on the mountain by ski and snowboard professionals to ensure comfort, fit, and performance. The outerwear line has a price point starting at $300 and maxing out at $1,100.

The brand will continue to partner with other brands if they feel like the right fit, like this season’s collaboration with Aether Apparel.

Loeb said they also partnering with local artists and athletes as they continue to evolve design elements and define the brand.

“We are launching an artist series, and for the first one, we are partnering with Whit Boucher who is a local professional skier. He’s going to be taking the Aspen leaf motif and do his rendition of it on the garments,” she said. “We’ll be doing this with other artists who have a connection to Aspen and Snowmass going forward.”

Other things she said are coming up for the brand are a more accessible ASPENX Beach Club at the top of Aspen Mountain, with tickets starting at $50, a sponsorship of Aspen Gay Ski Week with proceeds going to AspenOUT, and more community-focused events.

As for the new store, the Snowmass location boasts a similar design to the original store with clean lines, white oak features, carefully curated products, and a sleek but comfortable area for boot fittings. The space boasts large windows with views of the lift that brightens the space, making it feel bigger than it is. Like the Aspen outpost, they will offer a seasonal menu of fresh, local pastries, Lavazza coffee, and a curated selection of wine and beer that can be enjoyed free of charge while shopping and throughout the concierge rental experience.

“The thing that a lot of people don’t realize about the ASPENX store is that we see a lot of families,” said store manager James Parker. “We have a lot of people that come in with their family that just want a calming experience, not the chaos. We wanted to offer something different. When people come in and they are tired from their travels, it’s nice for them to relax and have something to drink while they try on boots. There’s something about that that just works. Our rental experience offers dedicated appointment times, which ensures we are never overbooked and can get guests on the mountain comfortably.”

He said he moved here in 2004 from his native Atlanta to snowboard and experience a winter in Aspen and like many decided this is the place he wanted to call home. He and his wife, who also worked for SkiCo, are raising two daughters who love to ski.

Parker is no stranger to the ski retail and rental business in the Valley. Embarking on his 20^th season here and with SkiCo, he has spent the last two decades outfitting locals and visitors, alike. He has put all that experience and knowledge into his role at ASPENX and is passionate about providing guests with the best experience possible.   

“In our rental lounge, we sit you down, we’ll measure you, and get you the right boot fit. And then we transfer your equipment to wherever you’re going to ski, or we store it here,” he said. “It’s a very unique and personalized experience and meant to get you and your family on the snow quickly, so you can focus on and enjoy what makes this place special.”

Sarah Girgis is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Aspen Times. She can be reached at 970-429-9151 or sgirgis@aspentimes.com.