In the heart of Aberdeen’s bustling centre sits a shop that has been expertly equipping generations of outdoor enthusiasts for life beyond the city limits. Craigdon Mountain Sports Aberdeen has long been a hub for climbers, cyclists, skiers and hillwalkers looking for honest advice, well-chosen gear and a team who genuinely live the lifestyle they sell.
From its beginnings as the sister store to the original Inverurie shop, through its evolution under current owner Max Bruce, the store has grown into a cornerstone of the North East’s outdoor community. We caught up with shop manager Keely Mackinnon to hear about their philosophy for helping customers find what they need, what gear they're most excited about this season, and why brightening someone's day with great customer service is so important to them.
Can you tell us a bit about Craigdon Mountain Sports Aberdeen and how it all started?
Craigdon Mountain Sports Aberdeen opened in 1998, the sister shop to the original Craigdon Mountain Sports in Inverurie (now closed), it made sense to have an outdoor shop in the biggest city in the North East of Scotland. In 2015, Max Bruce, a previous buyer for the company, bought out both these stores and has been running them ever since.
Where exactly are you based and what’s good about this location?
We are located on St Andrews Street in Aberdeen, a few minutes walk from the main shopping streets and beautiful parts of the city.
Being an outdoor shop in the North East of Scotland is a privilege as we are surrounded by miles of top quality sea cliff climbs, some of the best mountain biking in the county, and endless amounts of hill walking and watersports.
Within an hour and a half you can be in the centre of the Cairngorm National Park, which is excellent.
Can you introduce the team for this season?
What a team we have! Max and Mary at the top, buying, accounting, sorting orders and general keeping things running. Keely (me) is our Shop Manager with Tom as the Assistant Manager, both of us make sure the shop is working efficiently, the staff are happy and productive and we are providing the best service possible to our customers. Angus keeps the website running, which is crucial and Jamie is in the tech room servicing skis most of the time!
We also have Danielle, Debbie and Corinne as our part time warriors who are brilliantly enthusiastic to have around, especially on the weekends. All the team are experienced, full of knowledge and love to chat about their outdoor adventures.
What’s your store’s approach to helping customers find what they need?
To be as helpful as possible. Whether this is providing lots of technical information, an honest opinion, or general advice on what is needed. To be able to point people in the right direction, get them kitted out for a big adventure, or even teach them about their biomechanics.
To be able to brighten someone’s day a wee bit by providing a positive and helpful shopping experience is what we aim for.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to buy their first ski or snowboard setup?
Speak to your local Ski shop. A ski set up is an investment but a very worthy one. To have your own kit, that works for you and performs for you, makes all the difference when you're in the mountains.
Speaking to a local specialist retailer means you can get the fit customised which is vitally important with your boots especially, and it means that you can go back there if you need any further modifications done.
Do you specialise in any particular products or services?
We specialise in custom ski boot fitting and hillwalking boot modifications.
What’s a typical day like at your store during the winter season?
The day starts off with a wee team meeting, restocking and making sure any outstanding jobs are done. Jamie will be through the back servicing skis and we will usually have a couple of ski boot fit appointments booked throughout the day. Any deliveries are dealt with and customers served. All the staff get involved with all tasks so no two days are the same.
How do you or your team choose the products that you stock?
We look at previous years sales and trends. As well as this, we try to stock a range of products to fit as many foot shapes and sizes as possible.
What new gear are you most excited about this winter?
The Marker Griffon X binding - a classic binding with a much lower stack height, bringing you closer to the ski, meaning they are far more responsive.
Do you have a personal favourite that you’ll be testing out?
Max was enjoying testing out the Salomon S Pro double boa boots. The new double BOA is an exciting development for ski boots bringing improved fit and function.
Are you running any events, demos, or trips for customers this season?
We have some plans, watch this space…
What’s next for your store?
We continue to progress with training and we are committed to doing what we do best; finding the right gear for customers so they can maximise their time outdoors, whether that's on foot, two wheels or sliding on snow.
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