Planning to stay, paying to play Retailers selling cold-weather gear feel the heat from shoppers ready to chill at home
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/10/2020 (1523 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
WITH winter travel plans grounded by the pandemic, a growing number of Winnipeggers have found other ways to spend, much to the delight of some local businesses.
Whether it’s as simple as a nicer winter coat or as extravagant as a hot tub in the backyard, shoppers are looking for ways to make the cold weather to come more tolerable.
“Pretty much since the start of April when the whole pandemic hit, I think everyone realized they weren’t going to be travelling anymore, a hot tub in a backyard became a pretty big focal point for many Manitobans,” said Dustin Last, the sales manager of Arctic Spas in Oak Bluff.
Business is booming at Arctic Spas — demand has nearly doubled over last year — and Last said about 70 per cent of sales have come from people who have said they’re using funds that would’ve normally gone to travelling.
“I think it’s been kind of a long time coming, where people just kind of needed an excuse to put more resources toward the year-round vacation in their backyard,” he said.
The units are priced from $10,000 to $20,000 and Last said the store has sold several hundred this year and demand has gone up so sharply industry-wide that there are delays in getting equipment in.
Last has had to hire three new staff to handle the crush, and people buying a hot tub now won’t be able to have it installed until February. Last said delivery of a custom hot tub order had never taken more than six weeks before this year.
“It’s been really hard to take, in a lot of ways, because you see a lot of other businesses really struggle, but for us it’s been crazy busy since the start of this thing,” he said.
People looking for a winter activity with a lower price tag might look at cross-country skis, snowshoes and winter apparel at Wilderness Supply.
Manager Garrett Tremblay said he’s seen a jump in interest in winter goods, especially from new customers.
“Everyone, I think, has really been making an effort to try and enjoy that decompression time, get out of the house and feel like they have an activity to look forward to,” he said.
Tremblay recommends that anyone looking to get out more this winter do their research and invest in quality products that will keep them warm and comfortable.
“Even the people who want to get out and walk the dog a little bit more often or just feel like they need to brace for the cold, having some really good gear and equipment to arm you to do that can really make a difference,” he said.
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: malakabas_
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