Dizzy from the holiday retail madness, I recently enjoyed a surprisingly mellow and fun shopping experience at Focus Snow and Skate near East Towne Mall. Focus caters to the area's snowboarders and skateboarders only (sorry, skiers); it's all about the love of board sports. John Dobbe, a Wausau native, opened the store in 2005; today, Focus sponsors snowboarding and skateboarding teams and competitions at Tyrol Basin, Cascade Mountain and 4 Seasons Skate Park.
Quality snowboard jackets and pants include 686's collaboration with Levi Strauss - a men's denim jacket ($270) and Levi's 514 slim-straight denim boarding pants ($220). Try on snowboard boots, pick out goggles or debate about which socks and gloves to get. Dakine's gloves even come in wee sizes: the Hornet ($15) for babies and the Brat Mitt ($15) for toddlers. As for Focus' diverse snowboard collection, there's tried-and-true Burton alongside Lib Tech's snowboards "handcrafted near Canada in the USA."
For skaters, Focus has an entire wall dedicated to skateboarding shoes and features many boards from manufacturers like Element ($55) and the shop's own line ($31). Build your board à la carte or pick an all-inclusive package deal ($90-$100).
At Focus, you're sure to find something for your special shredders to go big on the mountain - don't forget to grab a Red Bull from the handy cooler at the counter.
Focus Snow & Skate
2358 East Springs Drive; 608-242-8403
11 am-8 pm Mon.-Fri., 11 am-6 pm Sat., noon-5 pm Sun.