FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW OWNER OF PIONEER MIDWEST’S RETAIL SKI AND IRRIGATION SHOP ANNOUNCED

Pioneer Midwest, a long time Osseo and Maple Grove ski shop, has been sold. John Boehme, Pioneer Midwest’s owner, announced this week that he and Adam Johnson have a purchase agreement in place. Johnson, a 2011 St. Johns University graduate, has been Pioneer Midwest’s retail manager since his graduation and will assume ownership on October 1.

“After 35 years in business, the time has come for new ideas and energy to be infused in the business, said Boehme. “Adam brings a new vision and passion for the business that will enhance the customer experience and allow the business to continue for decades to come.”

Pioneer Midwest is located on the west side of County Road 81, just north of 169 and adjacent to McDonalds.

Boehme and Joe Woodbury founded Pioneer Midwest in 1980, with their first location in Zachary Square and have been in their current location since 2005. Woodbury unexpectedly passed away in August of 2012.

“I am excited to take over the business that John and Joe built into a thriving enterprise,” said Johnson. “Pioneer Midwest has a well deserved reputation of integrity, customer service, and competitive pricing. I will continue with those traditions while repositioning what we offer to our customers.”

EXPANSION OF NORDIC SKI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Johnson plans several changes in the retail business. Nordic skis, accessories, apparel, and service comprise the main part of Pioneer’s winter retail business and will be expanded. The store has also sold downhill skis, snowboards, and snowshoes. Sales of snowshoes will continue, but the downhill and snowboard products have been discontinued.

Johnson indicated that Nordic ski inventory for the upcoming season will increase by approximately 50%, with special emphasis placed on racing skis for high school skiers and citizen racers. The shop will continue to carry a broad selection of touring skis.

“We’ve added Madshus skis, boots and poles in addition to our current lines of Salomon, Atomic, and Fischer,” said Johnson. “And Madshus will be our second largest line. We’ll be a leading retailer of Madshus in the Twin Cities.”

Five new wax lines will be added this winter—Start, Holmenkol, SkiGo, RODE, and Guru. Pioneer will continue to carry Swix, Fastwax, and Toko.

One of the major changes this coming winter will be the staffing at Pioneer. Johnson plans to staff the shop with employees who have significant Nordic racing and coaching experience. “It’s critical that our employees know the products and competently fit skis,” he said. “They also have race experience and waxing expertise.” Johnson skied for the Champlin Park team from 2003-2007 and St. Johns from 2007-2011. He continues to compete in citizen races.

Pioneer Midwest is also excited to announce a partnership with Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS), offering a full menu of BNS’s stone grinds to customers in its Osseo location. Ski work will be done in the newly launched BNS location in Bloomington on BNS’s new Tazzari RP-23 stone grinding machine.

BNS is a national leader in stone grinding, combining the best machinery, a proprietary menu of proven structures, and extensive grinding experience.

“We are ecstatic to be bringing this new Tazzari machine to the country’s largest concentration of skiers,” said Nathan Schultz, BNS owner. “This partnership with Pioneer Midwest is a great opportunity for both of us to deliver a new level of service to our customers in the region.”

With the addition of BNS’s top of the line grinds, Pioneer can now offer the best of back shop services in the Northern metro. “BNS is a national leader in the Nordic industry, and partnering with BNS is an important way to offer the best service, products and information to our customers,” said Johnson.

NEW SPRING AND SUMMER RETAIL PRODUCTS

Next spring, Pioneer Midwest will expand its retail store to include paddle sports, outdoor footwear, and wilderness camping gear. Johnson plans a full service wilderness canoe shop.

“I am really pleased that Pioneer will have Northstar canoes as a centerpiece product. They are manufactured in Princeton by owners Ted Bell and Bear Paulson. Ted has brought back his Bell canoe designs and quality with Northstar as the new name. They are top of the line wilderness canoes.”

Pioneer will add essential wilderness gear that has proven to enhance wilderness travel. “We will carry top performance gear specifically suited for wilderness canoeing, including Granite Gear packs and the Big Agnes line of tents, bags, and sleeping pads,” said Johnson. “We want to serve our customers by avoiding the confusing array of choices sold at the major retailers, and zero in on products that we have used and know well.”

As with Nordic skis, expertise is central to Johnson’s retail model, staffing the shop with experienced employees who have traveled throughout the BWCA and Quetico wilderness for decades. “They know routes, campsites, fishing hot spots, and how to travel safely in a wilderness setting,” said Johnson. “Providing expert information will be a key free service that we offer.”

Pioneer will also offer SUPs from entry level through upper end boards. “With both canoes and SUPs, we will offer regular on water demonstrations and free instruction at the customer’s convenience,” said Johnson. “I believe the customer should try it before they buy it.”

Outdoor footwear will be introduced this spring with the Keen, Salomon, Vasque, and Chaco lines for women and men. “These brands and the styles on order should complement Pioneer’s other retail products and meet the active lifestyle needs of its customers,” said Johnson.