Of History and Après-Ski

A LOOK INSIDE A HERITAGE SKI BRAND'S ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHOP

Helly Hansen Retail Store — Breckenridge, Colorado

With a 140-year-old heritage that’s rooted in overcoming the harshest of outdoor elements through durable gear, Helly Hansen is the premier apparel brand for ski professionals and enthusiasts alike.

When they set out to launch a new brand direction in tandem with the opening of their flagship store in Breckenridge, Colorado, they called on PORTER to bring innovative problem solving and customized service to the project.

Channeling Helly Hansen’s time-tested ingenuity, we infused the new with the old, transforming a Victorian building from 1915 in the heart of the city into a world-class store. From design development, demolition, buildout, and custom fixture production, we handled all tasks from beginning to end.

To build up the space to its magnificent endpoint, we did a full remodel taking the building down to its studs, and implementing creative solutions for outdated electrical and structural inefficiencies.

The goal in renovation was to keep the character of the historic space alive and thriving as we brought it into the 21st century. We took cues from local materiality and aesthetics, creating visual harmony by blending old architectural charm with fresh interior touches in the fixture design and retail layout.

The result is a store that balances brand heritage with activity-based merchandising opportunities, welcoming consumers to explore, shop, and hang out. At the end of a day on the slopes, visitors are invited to grab a beer at the bar, drop their skis at the waxing station, and snap a picture in front of the Instagrammable moment we created to make this store stand apart.