Interviews

Meet Gracey Cockram: General Manager at Moosejaw on the Plaza

August 10, 2015 by Jason Clements

Gracey Cockram is the new general manager at Moosejaw on the Plaza. As most of you know, Paul P. moved to Boulder, Colorado and now manages the Boulder Moosejaw. Here’s the gal who is now running the show on the Plaza:

Get to know Gracey Cockram in 15 seconds:

If I could have a super power it would be:
Teleportation. I’m a mom and a GM. Traveling and seeing beautiful places is a passion of mine but the time it takes often limits me.
On Friday nights, all I want to do is:
Yoga, glass of wine/really great beer, and Netflix with the family and a friendly game of Cards Against Humanity.
The last good book I read was:
Sweat Your Prayers by Gabrielle Roth. This book blew my mind with its way to interpret how when we move our bodies it can change our attitude in our everyday lives.
I am super duper afraid of:
Large animals. I grew up in Baltimore and Detroit so I never experienced nature or animals at a young age. As beautiful as I find them, horses scare the life out of me! (And elephants… And giraffes… And bears…. Crap….)
There is no way I would ever eat:
Pickles.. Pickled eggs. Anything pickled. The smell and texture. Eww [Read more…] about Meet Gracey Cockram: General Manager at Moosejaw on the Plaza

Meet Matt Boulton Inventor Of The Backpacker Puck

August 3, 2015 by Jason Clements

You have read the review of the Backpacker Puck. And now the inventor, Master Chef, and good vibes promoter, Matt Boulton, has answered a few more questions about the world famous Backpacker Pucks.

HCRB: Are all ingredients organic? If not, what are the exceptions?

Matt: At this time I’m unsure if there is organic labeling for the ingredients in the pucks. I source all of my bulk items from Sprouts Market in Overland Park, Kansas. My honey is sourced from a local beekeeper in Merriam called Speckman Honey. As I grow the business I plan to purchase land where I can grow most if not all of the ingredients that are in the bars. Here are the nutritional labels for the Chocolate Cherry and the Peanut Butter Banana:

Click Label to Enlarge:

Chocolate Cherry Backpacker Puck Nutrition

Peanut Butter Banana Backpacker Puck Nutrition

HCRB: There are no preservatives, so how long can you store them? Dry cupboard or refrigerator or freezer? [Read more…] about Meet Matt Boulton Inventor Of The Backpacker Puck

Meet Kevin Brown: Owner at Friction Labs and Denver Bouldering Club

December 22, 2014 by Jason Clements

Kevin Brown is the owner of Friction Labs and the Denver Bouldering Club. Kevin sent me a sample of all three blends of his new chalk and you can read that review right here.

An all-American super star in the climbing community: Meet Kevin Brown: Owner at Friction Labs and Denver Bouldering Club

HCRB: What makes Friction Labs climbing chalk so special?

Kevin: We use higher grade compounds to make our chalk. The end result is a chalk with very high Magnesium Carbonate and very low Calcium Carbonate. We also offer 3 different textures so climbers can pick their favorite.

HCRB: How in the world did you come up with the idea to make a chalk company?

Kevin: We grew frustrated at running out of chalk and being stuck with what ever the gym had in stock. We started researching chalk and found that there are a bunch of distributors out of China, so we went a different direction and researched all of the options and production methods. From there we went to the lab and got to work. Right away we felt a difference, had all of our friends try it and they all said it was way better. We knew we had a better product, so we figured out texture and started offering subscriptions, so you never had to be with out your favorite chalk.

HCRB: What is the inspiration behind the names Bam Bam, Gorilla Grip, Unicorn Dust? [Read more…] about Meet Kevin Brown: Owner at Friction Labs and Denver Bouldering Club

Meet Paul Pickell Jr. Outdoor Uberman (and Moosejaw on the Plaza Store Manager)

June 3, 2014 by Jason Clements

Kansas City is super lucky to have Paul Pickell Jr. around. The dude is solid. Paul is warm and welcoming. He always has a smile on his mug. And his love of the outdoors and experiences therein, make him the perfect Uberman [Yeah, that means Superman!] for managing a fun place like Moosejaw on the Plaza. Get ready for a interview that may or may not include backpacking, climbing, french kissing, mountaineering, and trail running.

First, here are the 5 most important fill-in-the-blank questions I asked Paul. Get to know Paul in 15 seconds…go!

When I am hungry, I grab a:
A Banana, you can’t go wrong with a Banana.
All I daydream about is:
Being outside.
If I could only wear one item of clothing, I would put on:
Pants? I think I look funny with a top and no pants.
The only thing on this planet that makes me scream is:
Can this be made up? Because a flying spider would crush my world. Or just spiders.
The only thing thing I need for awesome sleep is:
An extra pillow.

And now, the rest of the interview:HCRB: How long have you been working at Moosejaw and why?

Paul: I have been with Moosejaw for 10 years now. I fell in love with the company my first few months of working here. There are so many reasons why, but the main reason is because of the people I work with and for. Everyday I come to work and work with the most amazing people that have the most positive attitudes towards everything. I could go on about how I love the product, or my store location.

HCRB: What is the best thing that Moosejaw brings to the community? Continue Reading

Meet Alex Riester: Backwoods General Manager and Lover of the Outdoors

March 19, 2014 by Jason Clements

HCRB: Alex, you have worked at Backwoods for over 5 years. Why did you start working there?

ALEX: I started working at Backwoods as a full time employee, and worked my way up to General Manager. I started working here primarily for my love of the outdoors. The first time I walked in through those doors, I wondered what it would be like to spend every single day here. Next thing I knew, I was spending every single day here.

HCRB: What do you love most about the outdoors? Continue Reading

Meet David Tindle: Owner Of The Strength Lab In Lawrence, Kansas

January 8, 2014 by Jason Clements

HCRB: Ok, David, what makes the Strength Lab Bouldering Gym so special?

David: I feel two key factors are at the heart of every great climbing gym. The first factor is a friendly atmosphere. I love the idea of not even having to call a climbing partner to meet up ahead of time, and just knowing when you walk into The Lab, there will be plenty of friends to climb with. As the owner, I make a point to introduce everyone to each other so that it provides a place to make new friends in a healthy environment.

The second factor that makes a gym great is the setting. You need fresh new problems going up every week and a diverse style of setting. Every problem in The Lab has a 6 week expiration date from the time it goes up. This gives climbers specific goals and keeps them progressing forward. We have 8 setters and they are a wide range of abilities as well as years of experience setting. We have so much fun setting together and busting each others beta. A few times a month we get together for the Midnight Sessions. This is where I invite all the setters out so we can have a special night of setting projects for each other and hanging out. Something else I like to do is allow the setters to pick out what holds they want to order. This gives them a real sense of ownership and allows them to feel inspired about what direction the gym is headed.

HCRB: Why do you think the vibe at the Lab is so welcoming?

David: I love climbing. Eight years ago a friend told me a quote that has since shaped my life…”If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” From that moment on, I tried to seek out what career would make me feel that way. I can honestly say everyday I go to work I am happy and excited about it. I think that might be what helped to start the good vibes. I have been incredibly lucky to meet so many cool people through the sport.

HCRB: Why does CrossFit Lawrence fit so well with the Strength Lab?

David: CrossFit is about teaching people how to be better athletes. So you have this population of people who already have a good foundation of strength, balance, and mobility. They naturally pick up on climbing at a relatively quick rate. Also the psych that climbers feel towards climbing is not unfamiliar to the psych that CrossFitters feel towards W.O.D.ing out. (W.O.D. – means workout of day.)

HCRB: What is this “mob” thing you always talk about? Continue Reading