Nestled amidst the serene landscapes of Lake Tahoe and Truckee, where the majestic mountains meet pristine waters, lies a hardware store chain with a heart as grand as the scenery it calls home.
Mountain Hardware & Sports, with its five locations scattered throughout the Lake Tahoe basin, isn't merely a place to find the right tools for your DIY projects or outdoor adventures. It's also a hub of community engagement and charitable giving, deeply ingrained in the ethos of its employee-owners.
At the helm of this collaboration are employee-owners like Kamarin De Vay, general manager of the Soaring Ranch location, who exemplifies the company's dedication to community welfare.
De Vay shares her insights into how being part of an employee-owned company influences her commitment to community service.
"Employee ownership is so much more than punching a time clock day in and day out,” she says. “I come to my store and genuinely care about the work I'm doing. I've made friends with the regulars, homeowners and the majority of contractors in town. I don't just help people find the right tool for the job, I get to help them learn and care about the job at hand.”
De Vay also follows up to see how the job went.
“I learn a lot myself by being invested in the work people are doing,” she says. “In the end, whether we're selling things, fixing things or buying things, we're all working toward the same goal – bettering our community."
De Vay’s sentiment echoes the motto that drives Mountain Hardware & Sports to contribute meaningfully to the areas it serves. She highlights Mountain Hardware's partnership with local nonprofits like Excellence in Education, emphasizing the pivotal role of education in shaping the future.
“With the right tools, we can teach youth how to enjoy learning, pursue more and expand their minds," she says.
Teesh Rippee, a floor associate at the Donner Pass location, also champions this sentiment of community involvement.
"We are all about the local community,” Rippee says. “Working with nonprofit groups helps us give back to all our faithful customers."
Doug Wright, CEO of Mountain Hardware & Sports, reflects on the company's dedication to honoring community members through initiatives like the Dane Skutt Memorial Golf Event.
"The Dane Skutt Memorial Golf Event was established to honor Dane, one of the founders of Mountain Hardware & Sports,” Wright says. “He truly cultivated the culture of customer service and treating employees as partners that persists to this day. Dane cared deeply about the community and the associates of MHS. We've long recognized the importance of being an active participant in fostering the potential of our community."
Mountain Hardware's dedication extends beyond mere sporadic efforts, reflecting a steadfast commitment to numerous local groups and organizations.
"Supporting organizations and projects that enhance community well-being is ingrained in our DNA," Wright affirms.
Notably, Mountain Hardware & Sports proudly upholds enduring partnerships with the Truckee Roundhouse, TINS, Friends of the Truckee Library, KidZone Museum, Truckee River Day and Rotary Club of Truckee, among others.
"We are very honored to help support the Truckee Donner Land Trust as well as the Truckee River Watershed Council and are very excited about the great job those groups have done, and continue to do, in fulfilling their mission," Wright says.
Success stories abound in Mountain Hardware's philanthropic endeavors. De Vay shares an inspiring tale of collaboration with Sierra Community House through the EGGstravaganza fundraiser.
"We asked customers to donate just $1 to the Sierra Community House, and in exchange they were guaranteed to receive anywhere from 10% to 100% off their merchandise,” she says. “This promo is basically at no risk for the customer and raises money for this nonprofit. We raised upwards of $600 between locations last year just by asking for these dollar donations!"
Wright is proud of the company's contributions, including more than $60,000 in scholarships awarded in Dane Skutt's name over the past six years.
"Our mission is to provide the community with the best businesses we can be while providing our associates with significant benefits and employment that recognizes their efforts and commitment to our success,” he says. “We will never take the fact that we work and live in a beautiful place for granted, and it's up to all of us to take care of it and each other.”
In the breathtaking landscapes of Lake Tahoe and Truckee, Mountain Hardware & Sports stands as a beacon of hope, unity and generosity. One act of kindness at a time, with each interaction, each fundraiser and each scholarship awarded, Mountain Hardware & Sports reinforces its commitment to creating a brighter, more vibrant future for all who call this beautiful region home.
TRUCKEE: (530) 587-4844 | 11320 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA
SOARING RANCH: (530) 563-2950 | 10001 Soaring Way, Suite 105, Truckee, CA
INCLINE VILLAGE: (775) 831-2020 | 910 Tahoe Boulevard, #103, Incline Village, NV
BLAIRSDEN: (530) 836-2589 | 282 Bonta Street, Blairsden, CA
mountainhardwareandsports.com
About the Author Shanie Matthews
A longtime Lake Tahoe local, Shanie is a freelance writer, Vinyasa Flow yoga teacher and positivity warrior. A true lover of the the gorgeous Tahoe region, she connects with the serenity of the mountains via skiing, biking and backpacking. She also believes in the gift of yoga and its way of allowing one to become his or her true best self, a passion she shares with the world with her online yoga studio.
