Go Play Outside has been an inspiration for our own lifestyle. Growing up our main entertainment was found in the outdoors. Steve and I (Liz) were both active during our school years in Scouts, swimming, school sports, camps, lake, and beach vacations and more. When we married (at a young age!), our funds were meager to say the least. What we could afford was to Go Play Outside.
We scrounged together camping gear and headed to the Appalachian Trail. When we could, we acquired canoes, windsurfing gear, kayaks, and cross-country skis. Before we knew it, our outdoor avocation slowly became our desired vocation.
We opened our outdoor store, Shank’s Mare, in 1978. Our frustration in finding good quality gear led us to specialize in providing outdoor equipment for our own and everyone else’s adventures.
We believed from the beginning that teaching the skills learned in our outdoor pursuits would lead to more folks enjoying time on the water, in the woods, or on the snow. And now, over 40 years later, we share this lifestyle with our son, Devin (an active partner in the business), and his wife Kristan. The best reward of all is our granddaughter Annie who would rather spend time outdoors than anywhere else.