Ian Prichard, owner and co-founder of Black Tie Ski Rentals, recently appeared on a Fox Business news segment called “Small Business, Big Idea.” The segment featured the convenient, time-saving service that Black Tie offers and the piece focused on how the company takes the hassle out of ski vacations. To learn more about how Black Tie can make your next ski vacation a little easier, please click here to view the Fox segment.

Steamboat, Colo. – Cuando los cofundadores de Black Tie Ski Rentals, Ian Prichard y Joe Sternberg, se conocieron mientras trabajaban en una tienda de esquí en Rochester, Nueva York estando en la preparatoria, nunca se imaginaron que su mutuo amor por el deporte los llevaría por el camino que han seguido por más de una década.

El dúo monopolizó el mercado de la renta de equipo de esquiar cuando fundaron Black Tie Ski Rentals en 2002.  En más de una década, Black Tie ha crecido desde operar en un garage sencillo hasta ofrecer a los entusiastas de los deportes invernales más de una docena de ubicaciones atendidas por sus dueños en los resorts de esquí más populares en la región del esquí –  lo que la convierte en la más grande operación en entrega de alquiler de equipo de esquí de los Estados Unidos.

“La idea se nos ocurrió después de que el cantante de música country Alan Jackson solicitó que le midieran el equipo en su habitación cuando visitó Steamboat hace más de 10 años”, dijo Ian Prichard, cofundador de Black Tie Ski Rentals.  “Nos dimos cuenta que podíamos proporcionar el mismo servicio práctico al público esquiador  a un precio competitivo.  Ofrecemos el mismo equipo que se puede encontrar en las tiendas de renta tradicionales sin la molestia de tener que esperar en la fila”.

Como las vacaciones se vuelven más cortas cada año, el tiempo vale oro y Black Tie Ski Rentals  proporciona a los viajeros una alternativa conveniente para ahorrar tiempo que no ofrecen las tiendas de renta.  Expertos locales traen el equipo en renta directamente a la habitación de hotel de cada huésped, al condominio o casa de vacaciones para ajustes a la medida en la comodidad de su residencia privada.  También están disponibles a la venta artículos adicionales que se encuentran típicamente en las tiendas de esquí tradicionales como los calcetines Smartwool, goggles, calentadores de manos, protector  labial, etc.

Desde su tienda principal en Steamboat, Colorado, Black Tie ha crecido para proporcionar entrega de equipo en renta a esquiadores y snowboarders en 13 ubicaciones que dan servicio a más de 35 resorts de clase mundial entre los que se cuentan Mammoth, North Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly, Aspen/Snowmass, Breckenridge/Keystone, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail, Winter Park, Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, Park City/Deer Valley/The Canyons y Whistler.

“Como dice la frase, la imitación es el mejor halago”, dijo Joe Sternberg, cofundador de Black Tie Ski Rentals.  “Desde que fuimos pioneros con este concepto hace más de 10 años, otras compañías han empezado a ofrecer un servicio similar; sin embargo, creemos sinceramente que lo que marca la diferencia con nuestro equipo es el servicio que damos.  No sólo es el servicio conveniente en sí mismo, sino que contratamos agradables expertos locales de esquí y snowboard que ofrecen a nuestros clientes un conocimiento perspicaz sobre los lugares que están visitando.  Ellos casi resultan ser un concierge virtual que da a los clientes tips y técnicas para disfrutar de su visita en cada resort.”

Black Tie ofrece una variedad de paquetes de renta con equipo proveniente de algunos de los nombres más respetados en la industria – K2, Nordica, Volkl, Dynastar, Salomon, Rossignol, Atomic, Burton, Armada, y más.  La tarifa de adulto en temporada regular empieza en US$32 por día por paquetes de renta para adulto en la mayoría de las ubicaciones (los precios pueden variar de acuerdo al resort).

Para mayor información sobre Black Tie Ski Rentals, visite www.blacktieskis.com.
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Contacto para medios:
Kristin Yantis, MYPR: Malen Yantis Public Relations, (970) 949-7919, kyantis@myprco.com

Steamboat Springs, Colo. – November 2012 – Last year, Black Tie Ski Rentals celebrated it 10-year anniversary as the original ski rental delivery company in North America. Since then, the concept of ski rental delivery has taken off throughout ski country with numerous other companies following Black Tie’s lead in offering the time-saving, convenient service. Why ski rental delivery? Black Tie, which launched the concept in 2002, provides a list of reasons why this service has become so popular over the last decade.

1. Convenience. Why stand in line at a rental shop ever again? Fittings are done in the convenience of travelers’ hotel room, condominium or private home.
2. Free Delivery With Black Tie Ski Rentals, the delivery is free.
3. Cost-Effective. Ski and snowboard rental packages are competitive with those of traditional rental shops.
4. Maximize Vacation Time. Fittings are scheduled at a time that is convenient for the traveler. Skiers and snowboarders can multi-task while the fittings are taking place whether relaxing in the comfort of their private residence, watching television or spending quality family time with the kids.
5. Ease of Booking. Black Tie provides a convenient online booking system that allows guests to include delivery time and basic information needed for the ski techs to select the best equipment to bring for the in-home fitting.
6. Quality Equipment. Black Tie offers equipment for all terrain and ability levels from some of the most respected names in the industry – K2, Nordica, Volkl, Dynastar, Salomon, Rossignol, Atomic, Burton, Armada, and more.
7. Snow Conditions Change, Change Equipment. As on-mountain conditions change from groomed terrain to a powder day, Black Tie can meet guests slope side to trade out equipment to better meet the current snow conditions. Or, if the equipment rented becomes uncomfortable or guests want to try a variety of styles, ski techs will meet customers at a convenient location to fit new equipment.
8. Personal Service. The expert ski techs at Black Tie not only know their equipment; they know their communities. During fittings, the team from Black Tie provides guests with a wealth of information from local tips for skiing the mountain to great restaurants, the best deals in town and how to avoid crowds in the area.
9. Save on Baggage Fees. As airlines continue to charge for additional baggage fees, leave your skis or snowboard from last season at home and try out the newest equipment available through Black Tie.
10. Ski Shop on Wheels. Black Tie not only delivers skis and snowboards to customers but ski techs bring a variety of convenience items that are regularly found in traditional rental shops such as Smartwool socks, goggles, hand warmers, lip balm, etc.

Black Tie Ski Rentals cornered the market on this unique concept when the company started operating out of a one-car garage in Steamboat Springs, Colo. In a decade, the company has grown from one location to 13 owner-operated branches that service more than 35 world-class resorts including Mammoth, North Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly, Aspen/Snowmass, Breckenridge/Keystone, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail/Beaver Creek, Winter Park, Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, Park City/Deer Valley/The Canyons and Whistler.

For more details on special offers this season, please visit www.blacktieskis.com.
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Media Contact:
Kristin Yantis, Malen Yantis Public Relations, (970) 949-7919, kyantis@myprco.com

Black Tie Ski Rentals provides a time-saving service for its guests and one of the biggest benefactors of this convenience are families. Recently, writer Kara Williams wrote a great story about Black Tie for TheVacationGals.com. In her story she mentions that the service provides a “cool” alternative to families because of the convenience of ski rental delivery.

In the story, Williams notes that, “You don’t have to go to a shop location to get fitted or pick up your gear. You order whatever you need online or by phone, and then they come to you! Whether you’re staying at a friend’s home, hotel room or vacation condominium, Black Tie Ski Rentals staff pull up in their black and white vans with skis, snowboards and boots to fit you in the comfort of your mountain lodging.”

Another family travel writer who recently made a reservation to experience Black Tie, called ski rental shops a “pain point” for a typical family going on a ski vacation. She recognized the convenience of having her children get fitted in the privacy of their vacation home, condominium or hotel room allows them to skip the lines in the rental shop and relax, eat dinner or watch TV while ski tech come to them.

To make it even easier for families to book rentals this winter, many Black Tie locations also offer a Kids Rent Free package that is available at select times throughout the season. Children 12 years old and under can rent their ski or snowboard equipment for free with the purchase of a five-day adult rental. As part of the Kids Rent Free offer, the rental package can be upgraded to a Junior Premium Package for $14 per day. Some restrictions may apply and costs may vary depending on the branch.

For a complete write up of TheVacationGals.com story, please click here.

Steamboat, Colo. – When Black Tie Ski Rentals co-founders Ian Prichard and Joe Sternberg met while working at a ski shop in Rochester, New York in high school, they never thought their mutual love for the sport would lead them down the path they’ve taken for more than a decade. The duo cornered the market on ski rental delivery when they founded Black Tie Ski Rentals in 2002. In more than a decade, Black Tie has grown from operating out of a one-car garage to offering winter sport enthusiasts more than a dozen owner-operated locations in the most popular ski resorts in ski country – making it the largest rental delivery operation in North America.

“The idea dawned on us after country singer Alan Jackson requested an in-room fitting while visiting Steamboat more than 10 years ago,” said Ian Prichard, co-founder of Black Tie Ski Rentals. “We realized we could provide the same convenient service to the skiing public at a competitive price. We offer the same equipment that’s found in traditional rental shops without the hassle of waiting in line.”

As vacations get shorter and shorter each year, time is a precious commodity and Black Tie Ski Rentals provides travelers with a convenient, time saving alternative to rental shops. Local experts bring the rental equipment directly to each guest’s hotel room, condominium or vacation home for custom fittings in the comfort of their private residence. Additional convenience items typically found at traditional ski shops also are available for purchase such as Smartwool socks, goggles, hand warmers, lip balm, etc.

From its flagship location in Steamboat, Colo., Black Tie has grown to provide rental delivery to skiers and snowboards in 13 locations that service more than 35 world-class resorts including Mammoth, North Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly, Aspen/Snowmass, Breckenridge/Keystone, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail, Winter Park, Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, Park City/Deer Valley/The Canyons and Whistler.

“As the phrase goes, imitation is the best form of flattery,” said Joe Sternberg, co-founder of Black Tie Ski Rentals. “Since we pioneered the concept over 10 years ago, other companies have started offering similar service however we truly believe that what sets our team apart is the service we provide. Not only is the service itself convenient but we hire personable, local ski and snowboard experts that give our clients insight into the locations they are visiting. They kind of act as a virtual concierge giving clients tips and techniques for enjoying their visit in each resort.”

Black Tie offers a variety of rental packages with equipment provided by some of the most respected names in the industry – K2, Nordica, Volkl, Dynastar, Salomon, Rossignol, Atomic, Burton, Armada, and more. Regular season adult rates begin at $32 per day for adult rentals packages at most locations (prices vary based on the resort).

For more information on Black Tie Ski Rentals please visit www.blacktieskis.com.

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Media Contact:
Kristin Yantis, MYPR: Malen Yantis Public Relations, (970) 949-7919, kyantis@myprco.com

According to Boston Herald ski columnist Moira McCarthy, Black Tie Ski Rentals is among the many helpful resources skiers on the East Coast can use when planning their annual trip out West. According to McCarthy, “you have to plan ahead and think smart (when planning a trip out West).” She recommends bringing boots but leaving your skis at home. “With the cost of checking skis and the incredible upgrade not only in what you can rent but how you can go about renting, there’s really no need to bring your beloved skis along. Besides, you might find you want a different type of ski for whatever conditions you find out there.”

McCarthy goes on to suggest using “a great rental service” like Black Tie Ski Rentals. “Not only does Black Tie have a host of new choices, they come to where you are, fit you and send you off to ski. That’s right, no base area waiting line, no worries that a crowd will get ahead of you and grab the good stuff. Black Tie delivers right to your accommodations at more than 35 resorts. And if you reserve online ahead of time, you can get discounts.”

For more of the Boston Herald’s tips for planning a ski vacation out west, please click here.

Steamboat Springs, Colo. – Nov. 10, 2011 – This winter skiers and snowboarders have a chance to win a trip for four to Steamboat Springs, Colo. when they enter the Black Tie Ski Rentals Facebook photo contest. The company is launching this special promotion in celebration of its 10-year anniversary as the original ski rental delivery company in North America. The contest launches Nov. 15, 2011 on the Black Tie corporate Facebook site at www.facebook.com/BlackTieSkiRentals.

“We thought this was a fun way to engage our customers, but also a great way to say ‘thank you’ for making us the largest ski rental delivery company in North America,” said Ian Prichard, co-founder of Black Tie Ski Rentals. “Over the last decade we’ve grown from operating out of a one-car garage to having 13 owner-operated locations that service more than 35 world-class resorts. We thought giving away a trip to Steamboat – where it all started – was a great way to honor our customers who’ve been so loyal to us over the years.”

The Black Tie Ski Rentals Facebook photo contest launches Nov. 15, 2011 and photo submissions are due by midnight Dec. 31, 2011. To enter, Facebook fans must incorporate an image of a black tie into photos that are submitted for the contest. To make it easy on fans, the company will post a downloadable image of a black tie on its Web site and Facebook page. Customers can print the black tie to use in photos that they take for the contest. Fans are encouraged to get creative in their use of the black tie in photos. For example, fans might incorporate a black tie on a birthday cake, dress the family up in ski gear wearing the black ties or take a picture of pets wearing the symbol.

The downloadable image of the black tie will be available starting Nov. 15 when the contest is live on the company’s corporate Facebook page. Photos can be uploaded beginning Nov. 15 as well. Fans are encouraged to get friends and family to vote for their image on the site. The top 10 photos with the most votes by midnight Dec. 31, 2011 will be submitted to a panel of Black Tie judges who will select the top three winners, which will be announced on Jan. 10, 2012.

The grand prize for the Black Tie Facebook photo contest is a trip for four to Steamboat Springs, Colo. The grand prize includes three-nights lodging, airfare, lift tickets and ski/snowboard rentals. The second place winner receives four pair of goggles and third place wins four pair of ski socks.

Black Tie Ski Rentals cornered the market on ski and snowboard rental delivery when the company started in Steamboat Springs, Colo. in 2002. The first to pioneer ski and snowboard rental delivery, Black Tie has grown from operating out of a one-car garage to offering winter sport enthusiasts more than a dozen owner-operated locations in the most popular ski resorts in ski country – making it the largest rental delivery operations in North America.

As vacations get shorter and shorter each year, time is a precious commodity and Black Tie Ski Rentals provides travelers with a convenient, time saving alternative to rental shops. Local experts bring the rental equipment directly to each guest’s hotel room, condominium or vacation home for custom fittings in the comfort of their private residence. Additional convenience items typically found at traditional ski shops also are available for purchase such as Smartwool socks, goggles, hand warmers, lip balm, etc.

Black Tie provides rental delivery to skiers and snowboards in 13 locations that service more than 35 world-class resorts including Mammoth, North Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly, Aspen/Snowmass, Breckenridge/Keystone, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail/Beaver Creek, Winter Park, Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, Park City/Deer Valley/The Canyons and Whistler.

For information on the Facebook photo contest, please become a fan of Black Tie Ski Rentals by visiting https://www.facebook.com/BlackTieSkiRentals. For reservations this winter or for more information on the company, please visit www.blacktieskis.com.

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Media Contact:
Kristin Yantis, Malen Yantis Public Relations, (775) 351-7904, kyantis@myprco.com

The Sierra Sun in Truckee, Calif. recently featured the North Lake Tahoe branch of Black Tie Ski Rentals in its weekly “Meet Your Merchant” profile. It was a timely story as Black Tie co-founder Joe Sternberg was in town from Steamboat Springs, Colo. to do a pre-season visit with the team. The reporter, Jason Shueh, sat down with Sternberg and North Lake Tahoe owners Scott and Adam Kmitta to discuss how the company came to be and how things are shaping up for the upcoming season.

Sternberg started out by sharing some insight into the inspiration for creating Black Tie, “I saw the anguish of people waiting in line and just the lack of personal attention, the herding of the cattle through the rental shop, and I did that for five years and it was just not the way to take care of people.” The lack of service Sternberg noticed at traditional rental shops led him to partner with Black Tie co-founder Ian Prichard to make the ski rental delivery company a reality.

Shueh continues to explain that, “Black Tie’s North Tahoe locale, based in Truckee, is a testament to wild success of delivery-based ski services, brothers Adam and Scott Kmitta know. The two have operated Black Tie’s North Tahoe location as co-owners since 2005 when the two brought the delivery service to the Tahoe Truckee region.”

The article continues that Sternberg and the Kmitta brothers attribute the wild growth nationally and locally to visitors demanding to maximize their vacation times and avoid hassles at airports lugging gear, waiting in long lines at resorts or spending travel time heading to a nearby rental store.

The Kmitta brothers also attribute growth at the North Lake Tahoe branch to the millions of dollars in capital improvements, marketing outreach and investments recently made at resorts such as Northstar-at-Tahoe and Squaw Valley USA.

To read the complete “Meet Your Merchant” profile, please click here.

Luxury Web site JustLuxe.com recently came out with its list of luxury ski services offered this season and Black Tie Ski Rentals was among the featured upscale services.

The author suggests that skiers, “Start your day with a little assistance from Black Tie Ski Rentals. Their service allows you to skip the assembly-line corrals of a rental shop with equipment delivery direct to your accommodations. Make a reservation and the company sends a personal ski concierge to your room to custom fit your equipment with your needs before you even step outside.”

When it comes to quality equipment, “The company uses only the best equipment of the season, so you’re guaranteed premium gear, and if you have any issues with it they also include on-slope services for adjustments throughout the day. When you’re done for the day they’ll come by and pick your skis up and take them away.”

Skiers and snowboarders can take advantage of this high-end service at costs comparable to many rental shops. Book now at any of Black Ties 13 location that service more than 35 world-class resorts.

For more information or to read the complete article about luxury skier services this winter, please click here.

Steamboat Springs, Colo. – This winter, Black Tie Ski Rentals celebrates it 10-year anniversary as the original ski rental delivery company in North America. Black Tie started in 2002 out of a one-car garage in Steamboat Springs, Colo. In a decade, the company has grown from one location to 13 owner-operated branches that service more than 35 world-class resorts – making it the largest ski rental delivery operation in North America.

“We came up with the idea after country singer Alan Jackson requested an in-room fitting while visiting Steamboat in the early 2000s,” said Joe Sternberg, co-founder of Black Tie Ski Rentals. “We realized the convenience that this provided skiers and wanted to make it available to the masses at a competitive price.”

The idea took hold and consumers have responded to the concept of ski rental delivery as Black Tie celebrated its best season in history last year with 15 to 20 percent revenue increases at most of its 13 locations.

“We attribute our success last year to a number of factors; some that are more obvious than others,” said Ian Prichard, co-founder of Black Tie Ski Rentals. “Many resorts in which we operate recorded historic snow totals, as well as record skier visits, however we continue to believe that the popularity of ski rental delivery is growing year after year as travelers seek convenient, time-saving alternatives.”

As vacations get shorter and shorter each year, time is a precious commodity and Black Tie Ski Rentals provides travelers with a convenient, time saving alternative to rental shops. Local experts bring the rental equipment directly to each guest’s hotel room, condominium or vacation home for custom fittings in the comfort of their private residence. Additional convenience items typically found at traditional ski shops also are available for purchase such as Smartwool socks, goggles, hand warmers, lip balm, etc.

The company also has diversified a number of its offerings at various locations with the opening of amenity centers, ski valet services and traditional storefront locations to broaden its reach and appeal to a greater number of skiers and snowboarders. For example the original Steamboat Springs location offers five different convenient options for guests to experience Black Tie. The location continues to provide rental delivery but now offers a walk-in store, an Amenity Center, as well as ski valet services in One Steamboat Place and Chateau Chamonix.

Black Tie will celebrate its 10-year anniversary this winter by offering guests a 10 percent discount during high season and 20 percent during value season. (Please note that offers, dates and rates may vary by branch location.) The company also will be launching a special Facebook contest in November where guests can win a free trip to Steamboat.

Black Tie provides rental delivery to skiers and snowboards in 13 locations that service more than 35 world-class resorts including Mammoth, North Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly, Aspen/Snowmass, Breckenridge/Keystone, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail/Beaver Creek, Winter Park, Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, Park City/Deer Valley/The Canyons and Whistler.

For more details on special offers this season, please visit www.blacktieskis.com. For information on the Facebook contest, please become a fan of Black Tie by visiting https://www.facebook.com/BlackTieSkiRentals.

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Media Contact:
Kristin Yantis, Malen Yantis Public Relations, (775) 351-7904, kyantis@myprco.com