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Updated Nov 6th, 2008
Sport Chalet Founder Elected to
Sporting Goods Hall of Fame
 Norbert Olberz
and his wife, Irene
When Norbert Olberz developed
a passion for skiing, he decided to
purchase a small ski shop in La
Cañada Flintridge in 1959.
Five decades later, that small ski
shop — known as Sport Chalet —
has grown into one of the leading
specialty sporting goods stores in
California and has expanded to 55
locations throughout the southwestern
United States. For his contributions
as an innovator and provider
for cutting-edge sports, Olberz was
one of five new members inducted
into the Sporting Goods Industry
Hall of Fame last Friday.
Joining Olberz were Hank
Derleth (Ripon Athletic), the late
Gerry O’Keefe (Spalding, Schwinn)
and Ellen Wessel and Elizabeth
Goeke (Moving Comfort). All of
them will be honored in a ceremony
on Tuesday, May 5, during the 45th
Annual NSGA Management
Conference and 11th Annual Team
Dealer Summit, which are held
from May 3-6 in San Antonio,
Texas.
Since 1956, the sporting goods
industry has honored its pioneers,
innovators and leaders and the election
of the Class of 2009 brings the
number of Hall of Famers to 143.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony
is co-sponsored by Messe
München GmbH (ISPO), Mizuno
USA, New Balance Athletic Shoe,
Inc., W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
and the Sport Finance Program from
GE Money.
“This year’s group of inductees
are very special because of their
innovative and lasting contributions
to the sporting goods industry,” said NSGA Hall of Fame Committee
Chairman Randy Ruch, CEO of
Schuylkill Valley Sports, Pottstown,
Pa. “Election to the Hall of Fame is
the highest honor one can receive in
the sporting goods industry, and
these inductees meet the high standards
to which all Hall of Famers
are held. We are proud to add them
to this esteemed group.”
From the beginning, Olberz ventured into uncharted areas. Sport
Chalet was one of the first sporting
goods stores to sell SCUBA equipment
and offer a wide variety of
equipment for rock climbing and
backpacking. Over the years, he distinguished
his organization by offering
equipment for recreational
sports.
“We have so many great memories
of many wonderful years,”
Sport Chalet CEO Craig Levra said
about Olberz. “The one that sticks in
our mind the most is the time when
Norbert and Irene decided to give
over $1.5 million in Sport Chalet
stock to the 129 longest tenured
employees at Sport Chalet.
“It was such a gesture, his belief
to reward those that helped him succeed.
Many of these recipients
couldn’t afford to pay their income
taxes, so Sport Chalet paid them,
and then set up a modest payback
plan for each.” Olberz, son of a chocolate
maker, was born in Germany and
immigrated to Canada in 1953 and
moved to Portland, Ore., in 1955.
He worked as a truck driver for a
year and a half before purchasing a
bakery. During that time he developed
a passion for skiing.
His store originally sold just ski
and tennis merchandise. The 1960
Winter Olympics, held in Squaw
Valley, gave his business a big
boost. Soon after, the store expanded
into other sports merchandise. As
the need for more space grew, he
purchased a larger location across
the street where he introduced a
mechanical ski ramp. Customers
loved it and television stations came
and filmed skiers training on the
ramp.
Olberz started many businesses
over the years, including a hotel in
Mammoth, a travel agency, a wholesale
import boot company and an
outdoor gear manufacturing company.
He was also a product designer
and inventor. He gave his advice
freely to manufacturers to help
make their products better.
Levra noted that Sport Chalet
embraces all of what Norbert taught
all of them.
“To see things through the eyes
of the customer,” Levra said. “To do
1,000 things a little bit better; to be
the image of a sportsman; create
ease of shopping and not to be the
biggest, but the best.”
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