Nelson BC Shopping
Nelson shopping is focussed around the historic Baker St and includes various sporting goods stores as well as unique locally owned boutiques that sell clothing, antiques and jewellery. The shopping is diverse and relaxed, and some of the shops don’t open until 9:30am, 10am or even 10:30am. The waterfront area also has shops but these tend to be more mainstream.
Whitewater Ski Shop
The WH2O store at the Whitewater ski resort is small but jam-packed with various goodies. The Whitewater shop sells a little outerwear (ie ski jackets, snow pants), some backcountry gear, and basic ski and snowboard accessories. The shop also has lots of Whitewater souvenirs and logo wear. The logo wear includes jackets, hoodies, vests, caps and t-shirts. The most talked about items are the Whitewater cookbooks, which share the secrets of the famous food sold in the café. The shop also sells maps and guides to the Whitewater backcountry.
Nelson Ski Shops and Snowboard Stores
For a town with a population of only 11,000 people, there are a surprising number of sporting goods stores as well as specialist ski shops. There are also two specific snowboard shops. With the Nelson ski shops, if you’re looking for pretty Bogner, Spyder and Kjus gear you’re unlikely to find it, but if you’re looking for Mammut, Arcteryx and backcountry type gear, you’ll be in luck.
The pick of the bunch is The Village Ski Hut (367 Baker St). It’s hard not to be lured into this Nelson ski shop considering the fantastic front window displays that they frequently rotate. This reasonably small shop is chock-a-block with delightful ski clothing from brands such as The North Face and Peak Performance. If you’re in need of some new outerwear, this is the place to come. They also sell a small range of ski boots and skis. The Village Ski Hut does not have ski rentals.
Nearby is Snowpack Outdoor Experience. Downstairs is the Patagonia outlet store where Patagonia fans can go crazy, but there are also bargains to be found upstairs in the main shop where they sell an array of outdoor clothing and footwear, including all the Merrell shoes you could ever dream of.
Valhalla Pure (624 Baker St, Nelson) is another option for outdoor clothing, hiking boots and a few ski accessories.
The Sacred Ride is a bike, ski and board shop, with a primary focus on bikes and boards. They sell limited apparel and accessories, and have a workshop for tuning, waxing and repairs.
ROAM (Rivers, Oceans and Mountains) is a large outdoor shop with gear from Arc’teryx, Mountain Hardwear, Icebreaker, Cloudveil, Helly Hansen, and Mammut. They also sell mountain gear, backcountry ski equipment, and skis with brands such as DPS and Kastle.
For a range of ski equipment including cross-country and telemark sales and rentals, try Gerick Cycle and Ski (702 Baker St). They also have a selection of alpine powder skis for sale and a small amount of ski clothing, but their main focus is on bike riding.
A very interesting ski and snowboard shop is Boomtown Sports Emporium. The large shop looks like a White Elephant sale with a mish mash of new and recycled gear (boots, skis, boards). They also sell Valhalla skis; locally made skis with a bamboo core.
General Shopping Nelson BC
The Nelson shopping is eclectic so it’s fun to stroll through the shops searching for something a little different. From alternative organic teas to adults-only stores, there are plenty of interesting shops to visit.
Grocery Shopping
The Kootenay Co-op store (777 Baker St) is packed full of food and produce that is organic and locally grown. On Pine St/Highway 3A (211 Anderson St) there’s a huge Safeway and liquor store.