OUR PARTNERS
Part of our goal (when we decided to take a stab at ruling the world of ski, bike, snowboard and outerwear) was not to go at it alone but to align ourselves with like-minded businesses, to partner with the best and provide for our customers an environment of excellence.

There are a few companies out there that we feel share our core values, institutions and businesses that we've come across over the years that share our passion for a job well done, businesses that take care of their customers in much the same way we try to take care of our customers here at Gord's. Businesses where we like to shop ourselves, businesses that we learn from and respect. Businesses that we know are worthy of your patronage and support Businesses we consider partners.

Some of these businesses have that reciprocal feeling towards us and over time we've created partnerships and relationships that have made us all better at what we do. It's the future, the alignment of like-minded people who all contribute to the greater good through good corporate citizenship.

What follows is a tip of the hat to these excellent organizations that we believe to be worth considering should you be in the market for what they do. Scroll down for more and check back as we add partners as we go.

MERCEDES BENZ WINNIPEG: A few years ago a very good friend of Gord's, a particular dude Named Dean Rideout, introduced us to the equally stand-up Brian Lowes from Mercedes Winnipeg. From that moment we've been working together on a few very neat marketing opportunities (like the fabulously successful "win a Merc for a Month) and We're very proud to be associated with the great folks at Mercedes Benz Winnipeg. Yes, they do indeed sell insanely expensive cars (let's get that out of the way for those of you who revel in pointing out the obvious) but did you also know that you can also get a new Benz for roughly the same price one would pay for a Honda Accord? SURPRISE!

We've been working with the fine folks at Mercedes Benz Winnipeg for a year and a bit now and we've even become friends with Brian (the great guy who runs their operation) and we can't say enough about how down-to-earth and extremely accommodating (and kind) his team is over there. Brian has even threatened to join Gord's Bike club this summer!

It's great to see how passionate they are about selling cool stuff that has lots of value (not unlike what we do here at Gord's). Do yourself a favor next time you're looking for a car, check them out. And remember, most taxis in Europe are Mercedes... Not everything they sell comes with gull-wing doors and a six figure sticker. If anything you should just drop by and say hello... AND check out the bling, they do have some pretty crazy cool cars over there!

JAY PEAK VERMONT: In the interest of full disclosure I think it important to note that I grew up skiing Jay Peak as a kid. More to the point Jay is the resort that I could see from the resort where I skied as a kid. (Owl's Head Quebec is right across the border from the equally majestic but much more snow-blessed Jay Peak Vermont). The best way I can describe Jay peak is by calling it the Revelstoke of the East. Somewhere where you should go for a vacation if you're into good skiing or snowboarding. Somewhere that, once you've sampled its fantastic terrain, great atmosphere and abundant snow you'll want to go back... over and over. It's That good.

I like jay so much that it irks me when people ask me (when they learn that I'm from Quebec) "oh, so did you used to ski Tremblant?" For the record, if you're from Montreal and you're into real skiing, you ski Jay Peak. It's only an hour and a half from Montreal, the snow is the best in the east, the people are nice, the lift tickets are affordable and it's NOT Tremblant. Stay tuned as we announce a few cool things that Jay has decided to do to in order to entice us Winnipeggers to check out Vermont for a change!

Murray Chevrolet: You know the content of a business' character when the owner is as good a person as Dan is. Danny Murray (as some call him) has been a long standing customer of Gord's since forever. The man is a true gentleman and someone we all look forward to dealing with. His dealership is an extension of him and it's a better place because of it.

A few years ago Gord's Ski and Bike partnered with Murray Chevrolet to do a bike giveaway with special edition cars. Now we'd done that before with other companies and usually the concern was "give me the cheapest bike possible". Not with Dan. Not only did he insist that he get a good deal but most of all he insisted that these be really nice, quality bikes and that that we make a few dollars in the process. It was very important to him that it not just be a "free" bike but that the bike be a good one and that the bike FIT his customers and that they received a service plan with said bikes. THEN he assembled his staff to come over to Gord's and learn about these giveaway bikes. A class act all the way.

> Check out the '07 Murray Chevrolet video for "Gord's Edition" vehicles HERE.

We suspect that the experience we've had with Dan is representative of how he looks out for his customers. His customers are obviously important to him. He gets it. In fact we have half a dozen staff that have bought cars or had vehicle serviced by his dealership over the years and I have heard nothing but great things. If your in the market for a Hyundai or GM vehicle you must do yourself a favor and visit Murray Chevrolet and Murray Hyundai in the Waverly Automall.

PANORAMA MOUNTAIN VILLAGE (PMV): This is home away from home for many of us. Panorama is the site of our famous (or infamous depending on whether you're the left-behind spouse or not) Gord's Mountain Bike Trip, a mountain bike trip we embark upon every August. It has become the cornerstone of our entire mountain bike season to the point where we refer to is simply as "the Pano Trip". (read more about our annual pilgrimage here)

We started visiting Panorama about a decade ago in the winter and ended up falling in love with it even more in the summer. Panorama is our Heli-Ski destination of choice and it's the one place many of us would love to own property at. The people are nice, the atmosphere is laid back yet professional, and our contact Ken Wilder, Ryan Stimming and their team are absolutely top notch in their approach and have set the standard when it comes to making us feel like the Winnipeg market is important to them. Like every single customer is valued. Quite simply they deliver on the promises made my their marketing department.

While admittedly Panorama rarely gets massive dumps in the winter, what they do deliver in spades is a tremendous experience that transcends simple snow depth. In this new world where ski resorts do little other than post how many cm's they've received, it's refreshing to see a (now locally owned) resort that genuinely seems to 'get it' and does everything they can to earn our business.

Every customer we've sent Panorama's way over the past few years has come back to us happy and having enjoyed their vacation ... and every dude and dudette we've taken there over the past six summers has raved about how underrated the place is. Do yourself a favor, shun the nay sayers that can only follow hype and treat yourself to a true ski vacation where the people there honestly give a shit about you coming back next year. Check out Panorama.

It's our kind of place.