A few weeks after Steamboat Resort closes, renovations will begin on Steamboat Square’s newest business, but owners Emily and Thomas O’Winter are already excited about their concept: Steamboat Lockers.
“We knew there was demand,” Thomas said. “Emily’s mom was a previous locker user at Christy Sports and when they decided not to continue their locker room after the remodel, people needed a place to go.”
Christy Sports previously offered lockers on the basement level, but when the building was renovated in 2022, that space became the home base for rentals.
Emily, who graduated from Steamboat Springs High School in 1999, has lived in Denver, Steamboat Springs, Golden and Vail. She returned to Steamboat Springs and works full-time as a grant coordinator at Northwest Colorado Health. Thomas O’Winter is a 1998 graduate of Steamboat Springs, who spent several years in Denver, before coming back home to work for Christy Sports in Steamboat Springs.
Now, Emily and Thomas have embarked on a new gig they are hoping will provide a much needed service at the base of the Steamboat Resort. Steamboat Lockers, 2245 Steamboat Square across from Christy Sports, will open for the 2023-24 season.
The new owners said renovation of the space that is currently occupied by Gondola General, will begin this May. When work is complete, there will be 350 lockers available by next ski season. They are hoping to expand that space, depending on demand, with an additional 50 lockers the following year.
The O’Winter’s said Steamboat Lockers will provide a venue at the base area where skiers and riders can store gear, extra base layers, goggles and snacks. There is also a changing room and a lounge area. Emily said the location is convenient for those commuting to the base area who may not want to deal with parking.
“We are located between the transportation terminal and the gondola,” Emily said. “We’ve talked to a lot of people who are excited because they live on bus lines and are trying to avoid the parking situations. They’re excited to be able to ride the bus in their street shoes or boots and then grab their stuff and go.”
Clients of Steamboat Lockers will have a key code to get into the building, and one to access their individual locker. Thomas said the couple has partnered with the owners of the building to operate the locker business. The owners hope the space will not only provide a place for gear, but also a sense of community.
“People are really excited to support this, they’re really excited to have lockers back at the base and a lot of the people that we have talked to that used to have locker space at the base are thrilled,” Emily said. “They had a real community in there (the old locker space), so I think they’re excited to rebuild that place where you can cruise in, see who’s skiing that day and say hi to your friends — I think it has some kind of neat potential.”
Steamboat Lockers has introductory offers that include a two-person locker with no dryer for $1,100 for the season, a two-person locker with boot dryers for $1,300 a season and a five-person locker with dryers for $1,800 for the season. The season runs from November 2023 until April 2024. People who renew their leases can store their equipment through the summer. Those interested in securing their space at Steamboat Locker or getting more information can go to SteamboatLockers.com.
“We’re trying to walk that fine balance of not providing product that’s like super premium… full-service product, but it’s something that the community can kind of get behind,” Thomas said.
Original article from The Steamboat Pilot & Today.
