Ski shop opens in Rocklin

Rocklin Ski & Snowboard opened its doors in October and owner Kevin Buddington said it's a dream come true. "When I was in third-grade, I had a project where I was asked what I would do with a million dollars," Buddington said. "My response was I would buy a ski place and here we are years later." Buddington said he has been an avid skier for 30 years. When younger, Buddington lived on a hill on 10 acres in Minnesota where it snowed often. "I couldn't go over to my friend's houses after school because everyone lived so far apart," he said. "One year, I got a snowboard for Christmas and it was a wrap." Buddington has been skiing ever since and his love for the sport inspired him to open a store after years of working in healthcare. "My wife and I did really well in healthcare but we were ready for the next part of our life," Buddington said. Buddington, his wife and their 2-year-old son moved to Lincoln in 2020 from Orange County. Buddingon said he saw an opportunity to open the store he dreamed of in an area where there wasn't ski supplies and services. "If I didn't do it, someone else would," Buddington said. "I took a chance and built it from the ground up. My blood, sweat and tears are in this shop." Rocklin Ski & Snowboard sells skis, snowboards, ski clothing and accessories. Ski rentals and services such as tune-ups and repairs are also offered. Buddington said he's known for being "the only distributor in the United States to offer the Yonex Snowboard, a board used by Olympians." He also "takes the time to get to know each individual customer's needs." So far, Buddington said,business "has been great. It started off slow but after the storm in Northern California on Nov. 1, traffic has increased. Rocklin Ski & Snowboard is at 4820 Granite Drive, Suite 3, Rocklin.