Canada: Outdoor sports retailer evo has acquired the Journeyman Lodge in Whistler, British Columbia.
Built by members of the Whistler backcountry ski community in the 1990s, the 5,000 square foot lodge currently accommodates 24 guests. It is located 90 minutes north of Vancouver.
As part of the transaction, owner and operator of the lodge Callaghan Country Wilderness Adventures (CCWA) has also transitioned over to evo. CCWA operates 18,000 acres of public land surrounding the lodge in partnership with the province of British Columbia.
Evo has already assumed operations of Journeyman Lodge. Christian Begin, co-founder of Bella Coola Heli Sports, will serve as general manager.
Bryce Phillips, founder and CEO of evo, said: “I’m personally very grateful to have this opportunity to carry the torch forward as we look to establish Journeyman as a centrepiece for the community in the sea to sky and beyond. When I moved to Whistler in 1997, had someone told me that one day we’d be in a position to work with Brad and his team to continue their vision, I would not have believed it.”
Brad Sills, CCWA president, and creator of Journeyman Lodge, added: “I’m feeling quite confident that the transition from Callaghan Country over to evo is a really good one. It’s based on the shared values that the companies have, including respect for the communities that we live in and work in. I really look forward to working with Bryce and his team in the coming years.”
Callaghan Country Wilderness Adventures Ltd. is a privately held company based in Whistler, British Columbia in Canada. It has operated on Crown land since its inception in 1980 under the name Mad River Nordic Centre.
Evo currently operates eight stores in the US and Canada with several new locations set to open soon. In addition, evoTrip, the company’s adventure-travel service, offers more than 60 trips to destinations around the world. evo also runs an indoor skatepark, called All Together Skatepark, in Seattle.
In partnership with a group of businesses, evo will open a 100,000 square foot campus in Salt Lake City, Utah this winter. Campus Salt Lake will include an evo store, evo Hotel, All Together Skatepark, Salt Lake Bouldering Project, restaurant and more.
