Our story goes back over 70 years to the time when our founder, Adam Kahane, was a youngster in Poland. Adam took up skiing in the Carpathian Mountains at the age of 6. To Ski at all you had to be a hearty individual, for skiing back then meant spending the morning hiking up a mountain, a break for lunch and one run down....

... Only one run down. It was a lot of work, but he loved it. You can imagine his excitement the first time he visited a ski area with a lift!

Adam came to the United States in 1948. After finishing college he worked for the government, and met and married his wife Gertrude. Adam thought his new wife could do anything. Being from the flatlands of Iowa, however, she did not know a ski from a pole. Adam, of course, was going to teach her and decided their honeymoon would be a perfect time.

...Not one for taking the usual course, Adam had his own method of instruction. After taking her to the top of North Conway Mountain, he told her, "This is a pair of skis, this is how you put them on, this is how you stop. Let's go" When Adam started skiing, it was hours up and minutes down, for Gertrude it was minutes up, and hours down. Luckily, the marriage survived the honeymoon.

...Adam and Gertrude opened their first shop in 1959 when Ike was President and the Head Standard was king of the slopes. It was a time of lace-up leather boots, baggy pants, wooden skis and beartrap bindings. There was only one other ski shop at the time, run by Charlie Brun on Capitol Hill.

There were plenty of ski areas in New England but only a few in the Mid-Atlantic region. The only places to ski around here were Marsh Mountain (renamed Wisp in 1966), Laurel Mountain, Seven Springs, and Cabin Mountain (developed by the Ski Club of D.C. near Davis W.Va which closed in 1962)...

...Skiing was dependent on natural snowfall as snowmaking had only just been developed.

Our first shop was quite an operation- two small basement rooms on Eye Street across from the downtown Trailways bus terminal. Rent was $65 a month without a lease. Our most expensive piece of clothing was a reversible Sportcaster parka for $19.95. Gertrude managed the store while Adam worked full-time on another job to support the family and store.

...In 1960 the shop moved up in the world (from basement to street level, that is) to 1309 H St. Business grew rapidly, and in three years we were ready for a larger store.

...In 1963 Ski Center moved to 912 11th St. where it prospered for almost a decade. Some of our old customers remember our German Shepherd, Dylan, whose job it was to sit in the display window and discourage would-be robbers and shoplifters. It was a well guarded secret that this fierce looking beast was scared of everything. If and when he barked, it was only out of fear.

For a graduate of the Columbia School of Business, Adam ran the shop in a not very business like fashion. Hardly any money was spent on advertising, credit cards were not accepted, and anybody could pay with a post dated check. Selling was extremely low key with employees being taught that if you do not have the right merchandise for a customer, don't sell him anything and never more than he needs. These were Old World ideals and are still true today.

...In 1973, Ski Center moved to its present location, off Massachusetts Ave. and 49th Street in Upper Northwest Washington.

True, we had to change some with the times - honor credit cards, invest in advertising, and improve store design, but our guiding philosophies have remained the same. A successful business is built on a foundation of satisfied customers. We sell skiing first and products second and believe that making customers is more important than making sales. This is still reflected in our commitment to providing the best possible advice, service, products and values.

Adam was made an Honorary Member for Life of the Ski Club of Washington, D.C., a seventy year old club with over 6000 members. He was awarded this honor in recognition of his contribution to the Washington area skiing community.

Like his father Adam, Stuart Kahane started skiing at a very early age. He also has a degree in business and in 1978 joined his parents at Ski Center.

Stuart and his wife, Linda live in Bethesda with their son Michael, and twin daughters Susie and Becky. The 3 children are the fourth generation of the Kahane family to enjoy the sport of skiing.

We are the oldest and one of the largest ski shops in the south. We've enjoyed our 48 years in the ski business. It's had it's ups and downs, but we are looking forward to the next 48 years of doing business with Washington area winter sports enthusiasts.