Now, what’s that song?  The lyrics go, “Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.” A quick computer search reveals that it’s from the 1956 musical “The King and I” by Rodgers and Hammerstein.  Somehow, that song popped into my head while thinking about snowboarding, a sport that admittedly I know little of.  What better way to learn than by asking a pro like Samantha Timkey, who helps to operate The Boardroom.  How do we get to know you?

Well, you can always pay a visit to The Boardroom, located within walking distance of Holiday Valley.  Or you can drop by in a virtual fashion, by checking out their website. The address is www.boardsandpowder.com.

Here’s how Samantha Timkey describes the beginnings of her store.  “The Boardroom was founded in 1984 by Mike and Jodie Timkey as a small, seasonal ski rental business. From there, it grew until eventually Mike decided to try his hand at selling snowboards. Obviously, it was a good decision.”  Just open the door and you can see how the business has grown.  Back in the early 1990’s there were only a handful of snowboards on display.  Today, there are separate rooms for men’s and women’s boards.  Says Samantha,” I’d say that’s some pretty solid growth.”

At The Boardroom, the emphasis is entirely on snowboarding and completely outfitting the snowboarder.  Timkey notes, “I’d say our most popular service is that we are 100 percent snowboard specific.  No skis, no bikes, no snowblades.  We sell snowboards.  As a specialty shop, we really like to stress the fact that we know what’s best for our customer.  And it’s not only the boards, because we like to take people through the entire process. That’s includes helmets, goggles, boots, bindings, clothing, and everything in between.”

What are The Boardroom’s most popular products?  Samantha Timkey says customers are going big-time for alternative-camber snowboards, which she describes as, “Banana Traction from Mervin Manufacturing and Vario Grip from Never Summer. (People also like) our Oakley ‘Goggle Bar,’ where our customers can build their own customized goggles, our extensive helmet selection, and our ladies-specific Powder Room.  We’re a full service repair shop with an expansive high-performance ski and snowboard rental fleet.”

There are various reasons for the success of The Boardroom.  One of them is customer service.  Another is longevity, and truly enjoying what they do.  “When my brother Spencer sells someone a board, he’s ecstatic when that kid comes back in with an ear-to-ear smile on his face.  We really stress customer service.  Every customer deserves a smile, because if they’re in our store, chances are they love snowboarding.”

Snowboarding appears to be here to stay, and so is The Boardroom, if twenty seven years in the business is any indication.  “This is what we do, and it’s what we love doing. We’re very fortunate to have two of the East Coast’s premier ski resorts in our backyard. Holiday Valley and HoliMont do such a great job, especially when nature decides to throw us a curveball.  We love selling snowboards and working with people.”

Samantha says her beagles, Shamus and Chief, love the winter too and are in turn loved by all who meet them.  “Two of the chilliest dogs around” is how she describes them.  Now they too can romp in the newly fallen snow, the season’s first real winter snow.  “As long as the snow keeps falling, we’ll continue to do what we do.”

You can find The Boardroom on Facebook (The Boardroom Snowboard Shop), on Twitter (@BoardroomEville) and on their website, www.boardsandpowder.com.