HALES CORNERS — Sherper's outdoor sporting goods store in Hales Corners might be the place to be during a global pandemic. They're back after closing their doors for two months and losing 60 percent of their revenue.
"The support from people from COVID and everything has been so nice," says store manager Adam Rabe. "They're like, 'hey, can I buy gift cards, what can I do to support you,' especially for the time we were closed. That was just huge support."
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This strong family business, which has been serving the community for 85 years, has seen a surge in outdoor life, especially kayaking.
"I've never seen the kayaks flying off the shelves like they have this year," Rabe admits. "It's really hard to keep up with but it's good. People are getting back outside. People are re-experiencing this new stuff like kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards. We've got more orders coming in this week and people are paying for the kayaks before they even come in to make sure they get their kayaks this year."
Rabe sees a definite trend. People want to stay safe and be outdoors during these uncertain times.
"Tents, chairs, coolers, all of that stuff is flying out," he says. "You always see a little boost during Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July but this year it's an extra bopst because people are trying new stuff for social distancing."