40 YEARS IN THE MAKING
L to R: Rod Williams, Tim Shane, Simon Glasgow & Jan.
In 1980, Simon Glasgow, Rod Williams and Peter Pauling banded together to take over some tiny premises in the centre of town. With barely enough room to swing a marmot, they opted to rent out just skis and boots, but strict regulations prevented them from buying from Swiss wholesalers. Undeterred, the gung-ho trio arranged for stock to be flown in under the cover of night to a field near Sion. And so Mountain Air was born.
The shop embodied Verbier's vibrancy, building a loyal clientele where everyone knew everyone and the Sunday takings were stored “safely” in a ski boot at the back of the shop.
NICK & PETIE
Nick Hammond joined the team in 1989 and became an integral part of the business and key to Mountain Air’s next step, expanding the store’s offerings to include clothing and technical equipment and of course pioneering the world-famous boot-fitting systems we now use every day. It became clear as we moved into the new millennium that Mountain Air was destined to become more than just your one-stop ski rental shop.
CHRISTER ENJOYING HIS WORKING SPACE
In 2013, the team took the leap and moved into its current premises, with bigger space meaning bigger opportunities. The shop is now home to collections of men’s and women’s lifestyle clothing, the ski equipment shop, ski school offices, the bike workshop, ski lockers, the ski lounge, the cafe, a barber and of course, our tried and trusted rentals.
MOUNTAIN AIR SHOP
What was once three guys renting out skis, along with many special friends and characters along the way - Nicky Le Grande, Glen Thomas, Gill Simpson, David Simpson Ulf Renvall, Tony Evans to name but a few - has evolved into a thriving community of people drawn to Verbier with unparalleled access to the best gear and expertise around.
