Shred Sports has been a big player in Spokane’s outdoor retail space since opening its doors back in 1997. Until recently, Ben Owen’s has been keeping the fires lit since taking over the reins from his brother-in-law, Jeff Young, over a decade ago. In 2019, Owen’s rebranded from “Sports Outlet” to the current name “Shred Sports,” and has also elevated the shop from an outlet space to in-line dealer that now has the largest selection of skis and snowboards in Spokane.
One of former owner Jeff Young’s first hires back in 1997 was an eager 16-year-old snowboarder named, Ben Deakins. As of December 1, 2023, Deakins and his wife Kacey fulfilled a long-time dream by becoming the newest owners of the shop. “It was my first job as a teenager, and Kacey would often drop me off to work at the shop before we were married,” Deakins says. “My son has worked here, as well as cousins and brothers. It’s really been a family affair all along.” Shred now has a staff with over 100 years of combined experience in outdoor retail, says Deakins. “It’s really amazing to see how far things have come.”
Ben and Kacey Deakins were both born and raised in Spokane and are raising their five children to appreciate the outdoors and everything our region has to offer. “I’ve been snowboarding since I was 12, and if I’m not on the snow I’m probably fly-fishing somewhere,” Deakins says. “We live in such an underrated region for outdoor sports and the community here is so amazing as well.”
Deakins is excited to bring his passion for the outdoors and Spokane community to Shred. “With all the online options available for people today, I want to show people that there’s still nothing better than to walk into a family-owned shop and get that personalized experience. I want Shred to be not only your favorite place to shop, but also a place that gives back and is involved with the community, whether that’s bike rides, ski trips or collaborations with local breweries.” Shred is located at 4505 N Division St. in Spokane and online at Shred-sports.com.
Brad Naccarato
Cover photo courtesy Shallan Knowles
