213 – The Evolution Of Whistler with Founder Jenine Bourbonnais
Today’s Guest:
The founder and owner of the super rad Evolution Whistler performance bike and snowboard shop, Jenine Bourbonnais
On episode #213 it is my pleasure to welcome Jenine Bourbonnais to the podcast. Jenine is the founder and owner of Whistler’s performance bike and snowboard shop called Evolution Whistler. Jenine opened the store in 1995 when she was only 21 years of age and has grown it over the years to become the go to store in Whistler.
We chat with Jenine about how she started the store, how it has changed over the years, what Whistler is like as a biking and snow destination, the best time of year to visit and why it is just so rad to live there, plus lots more.
So tune in, put your feet up and get ready to pack your bags!
Enjoy the show.
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This episode is proudly sponsored by Allta
Here at MTB Tribe we are super excited to introduce you all to our new brand – ALLTA.
ALLTA is a range of mountain bike clothes and accessories dedicated to make mountain biking easier. Our gear is designed to be practical, stylish and environmentally friendly. Our best-selling Trail Changing Robe will keep you warm and dry while you are getting changed in and out of your riding gear and our other pieces work just as well on the streets as on the trails.
We’re a small Irish based brand, but our range is growing steadily with the support of a fantastic group of mountain bikers across Ireland and the UK.
You can check us out at www.rideallta.com or on Instagram @ride.allta and for some behind the scenes access sign up to our newsletter!
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Find Out:
- How Jenine got into mountain biking
- How teaching snowboard racing in Japan lead to opening a mountain bike shop
- What the biking scene was like in Whistler in 1995
- Why Jenine was not phased at opening a bike & snow shop at age 21
- What the early days were like in the shop
- Why customer service has always been the top priority for Jenine and Evolution Whistler
- The top end hire bikes you can expect to find at Evolution Whistler
- What the supply issues have been like since covid
- How the e-bike popularity has changed the way Jenine thinks about shop budgets and orders
- The list of ex-staff members that have become pros (it’s a lot!)
- What Whistler is like to ride and what to expect from the trail network
- Why you shouldn’t ride Blackcomb (but you can)
- The other outlying areas you can ride close to Whistler
- Why these destinations are very different, but all very awesome
- The best time of year to visit for biking and snowboarding
- Why Whistler is a must visit destination
- How to find out more about Jenine and her very cool store
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I had been chatting with Jenine over the space of a few months, but as you can imagine running a bike & snow shop doesn’t leave you a load of time to come onto an Irish podcast and have a chat about bikes. However, Jenine found some spare time from her crazy schedule, we got it sorted and had an awesome conversation about all things Whistler including bikes, trails, hire equipment, famous riders Jenine has brought up through the shop, rider skill levels and turning a toy store into a bike shop!
It was great to get Jenine on the show. She is that kind of person that lights up your day, fills you with stoke and makes you want to hit the trails. You can tell she is still very much in love with both biking and boarding and feels super blessed to be living and doing what she does in Whistler. Running a bike and snow shop anywhere in the world would come with its long hours, difficulties and stresses, but it doesn’t seem to have dampened Jenine’s love for the industry. She is still super stoked to be living in Whistler, boarding over the winter season and shredding the trails over the summer season. Owning and running a super well established shop is just a bonus.
Whistler and the surrounding riding areas seem like a mountain bikers dream. There are so many options, so many different terrains to explore and different trail types to hit, it’s a riders paradise. And if you snowboard or ski just imagine the winter season fun you could have. It would be a whole year of awesomeness!
We probably all want to visit Whistler at some stage and it is most likely on most of our bucket lists (if you’re into that kind of thing). The only problem with that is, how many of us would return home? I know I would lose my passport, suddenly have a massive fear of travelling or simply discover a long lost Canadian family, any excuse really to stay. Let’s just say it sounds like the place for me.
So join us as we chat about mountain biking, running a bike store, living and riding in Whistler and why it is the mountain biking capital of the world.
Thanks for being here. Enjoy the show!
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To Connect with Jenine and Evolution Whistler:
Website: www.evolutionwhistler.com
Instagram: evolutionwhistler
Facebook: evolutionwhistler
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This episode is proudly sponsored by Allta
Here at MTB Tribe we are super excited to introduce you all to our new brand – ALLTA.
ALLTA is a range of mountain bike clothes and accessories dedicated to make mountain biking easier. Our gear is designed to be practical, stylish and environmentally friendly. Our best-selling Trail Changing Robe will keep you warm and dry while you are getting changed in and out of your riding gear and our other pieces work just as well on the streets as on the trails.
We’re a small Irish based brand, but our range is growing steadily with the support of a fantastic group of mountain bikers across Ireland and the UK. You can check us out at www.rideallta.com or on Instagram @ride.allta and for some behind the scenes access sign up to our newsletter!
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Thanks to Jenine for coming on the show, sharing her story and getting us stoked to go ride.
And thank you once again for tuning in!
Join me next time for another MTB TRIBE Podcast show.
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