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What started as a bus travel business is now a four-season sportswear store. C&R Ski, nestled between Elon’s Simply Thai and The Fat Frogg, represents the North Carolina native and founder of C&R Ski, the passion of Richard Forrest.
The bus tours, originally based in Hillsborough, were aimed at residents and tourists looking for a getaway in the mountains. Forrest said guests could fill the buses with ski and snowboard rentals provided by the company.
“One thing led to another and we got into the business,” Forrest said.
Towards the end of 1985, Forrest said the tours were catching the attention of visitors and he decided to open a small store selling skis, snowboards, and other gear that customers might need for their sports. winter.
“It was pretty much a one-man show,” Forrest said.
Although there were many successful moments when it started, C&R Ski Hillsborough was in danger of losing the lease after a few years of operation. Forrest said he had to find a solution to keep the business afloat; he extended the lease and debated options for a second location.
Fortunately, Forrest owned a property where the Elon C&R ski store is now located on W. Haggard Ave.
“There were a few houses where the store is now, but my business partner and I decided to tear down the house and build the mall so that we had a place for the ski shop,” Forrest said.
After Forrest opened the second location, he said the idea of incorporating more all-season clothing was introduced.
With the location so close to Elon’s campus, Forrest decided to sell Elon merchandise as part of their inventory. Since opening in 2008, C&R Ski has been financially stable enough to keep both locations open and functional.
Currently, Forrest’s friend, Marvin “Bullet” Franklin, runs the store while Forrest is in Hillsborough. Franklin began managing Elon’s location in 2008 with the idea of keeping the store open year round.
C&R Ski sells Elon products, including tumblers, t-shirts and sweatshirts.
Franklin wasn’t always involved in the ski industry like Forrest, however. Prior to 2008, Franklin had a full-time job at Duke University Medical Center and then joined the banking industry – until the recession hit.
Franklin said he knew he had to keep himself and his family afloat, pushing him to find a solution.
“When it went south and it all changed, I didn’t want to be a part of it anymore,” Franklin said.
Franklin had helped Forrest part-time. When the recession hit, Forrest opened a full-time position to allow him to manage the Elon site.
“I like to tell people, ‘I was selling money for a living and now I’m selling fun,'” Franklin said.
Franklin said that no matter where someone works, they should be the best possible version of themselves. As he got older, he said he felt he continued to learn, especially in his job.
“When you relax and say ‘I know that’ right there, I know you’re not the smartest man in the room. The smartest man says “I don’t know as much as I can,” “Franklin said.
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