What do people want to buy in Whistler? That’s a question that we’ve never really asked ourselves at Gibbons. We definitely know what people want to drink. We know what they want to eat. We know how they like to party when they come to Whistler. We’re still learning what they want to buy while spending time here.

Now we want to know as we prepare to open the doors on our new retail space on the ground floor of the Westin Resort & Spa.

This move was never on the books. But, as I’ve come to realize after more than 20 years in business, everything happens for a reason, even the unexpected. The trick is finding how to make it work for you.

The Gibbons company head office has long operated out of a condo unit in the Carleton Lodge. It only made sense to have the headquarters there, a few floors above the Longhorn, our flagship bar. Last year, surprisingly, questions were raised over the zoning in our building. There was some debate over whether or not we could operate our office there. Rather than fight our 20-year residency and rail against the injustice of it, we chose to look for new opportunities.

We found them just a few steps away.

The empty space in the Westin Resort and Spa, Whistler, seemed like a good fit for us. We already have a significant presence at the Westin, operating the Mountain Club and the FireRock Lounge there; we have a good working relationship with the landlord and our partners, Cressey; we needed the space to accommodate our growing team; and, ultimately, we’re trying to grow our Gibbons brand, and a storefront presence helps us with that goal.

This move has allowed us to turn our old office into an amazing rental unit and prompted us to buy another rental unit in the same building as we work to grow our travel business and Whistler concierge services. After spending countless hours in my office the Carleton Lodge, I can safely say there is no better spot to stay in Whistler if you want to be in the heart of the action!

Once again, I’m reminded that when things don’t go your way, the trick is to find ways to turn it around, look for your opportunities in the toughest situations and make it work for you.

Now, back to my initial question: what do people want to buy in Whistler?

While most of the new space at the Westin is taken up with our Mountain Club services and office space, there is prime retail frontage. Come check it out as we embark on another Gibbons adventure!