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Victoria’s only sporting goods consignment got so busy it’s moving

Grove Outdoors is expanding to bigger Johnson Street location
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Sydney Munk is the owner and founder of Grove Outdoors. (Photo courtesy of Grove Outdoors)

By David Holmes/Contributor

Grove Outdoors, downtown Victoria’s only sporting goods consignment store, will be celebrating the opening of its new Johnson Street location on Dec. 10.

“We’ve only been in business about seven months but have basically outgrown the shared space we currently use on Yates Street,” said Sydney Munk, the owner and founder of Grove Outdoors. “Moving to 614 Johnson St. provides us with a much bigger space and brings us closer to all of the other outdoor stores.”

Currently located at 856 Yates St., Grove Outdoors opened for business in April of this year with the goal of collecting and reselling gently used outdoor sporting goods, except those used in team sports or golf. The outlet’s inventory includes skiing equipment, cycling items, camping gear, backpacks, clothing, footwear and more.

“The whole idea was to offer high-quality gear in great condition at affordable prices,” Munk said. “We have a large children’s section for example as people purchase equipment for their kids, but they can quickly outgrow them. Rather than getting rid of it, they can sell it through us by consignment and upgrade to something better.

“In other cases, someone might purchase gear to only use it occasionally. If they no longer need it, they can sell it through us and either get some money back or use that to invest in newer gear – it’s a win-win for everyone.”

Grove Outdoors’ opening was the culmination of a planning effort that began more than 18 months ago. Munk learned about a similar operation in Calgary from her sister, information that sparked her own curiosity over whether such a venture would work in Victoria.

“I looked around and learned there was a store like this in Courtenay and another in Vancouver, so I thought why not in Victoria? That’s where it all began,” she said.

An avid traveller and outdoor adventurer herself, Munk’s key business philosophy centres around the concept of the three Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle.

“Purchasing lower-cost gear makes the outdoors more accessible for people who might not be able to buy this stuff otherwise,” Munk said. “It’s also a more sustainable way of purchasing outdoor equipment while making sure your gear gets its full lifespan of use rather than just being in storage or going to waste.”

Always on the lookout for new product, Grove Outdoors accepts consignments on an ongoing basis.

“It’s all about making the outdoors more accessible, so we’re always taking consignments any day of the week,” she said.

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