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April 16, 2015 - Image 40

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 2015-04-16

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40

April 16 • 2015

looking to acquire retailers with annual
revenue of at least $5 million.
Summit Sports deals mostly with
or a company that deals heavily
skiing, snowboarding, water sports
with skiing and snowboarding,
and camping. For people who have
the fortunes of Summit Sports
never tried action sports or don't know
are clearly headed uphill.
the first thing about buying the right
Summit Sports, the Bloomfield
kayaking paddle, Summit can help. Its
Hills-based action sports retailer, is
website, summitsports.com , has all the
celebrating a large investment that will
necessary information with advice from
allow the company to grow significantly.
action sports fans and videos to help a
Investment firm Digital Fuel Capital is
buyer make an educated choice.
putting up the money.
"We're focused on the affluent
"This will probably
customer who's looking to stay
double our rate of growth,"
healthy and in shape. The type
says Steve Kopitz, founder
of family who owns a boat or
of Summit Sports. Kopitz
takes skiing trips," Kopitz says. In
says his company will use
other words, someone kind of like
this money to acquire other
himself.
online action sports retailers.
Kopitz was a financial planner
Summit owns four
for
American Express but wanted
Steve Kop itz
brick-and-mortar stores
to do something he loved. "I am a
in Michigan. There are
passionate skier and snowboarder
three locations under the Summit
and love sports and the outdoors:' He
name in Keego Harbor, East Lansing
also wanted to own his own business.
and Brighton. Summit also owns Don
Summit was the perfect fit.
Thomas Sportshaus in Birmingham,
He became heavily invested in online
which was voted Detroit's Best Ski Shop
retail in the late '90s, during the dot-
by Hour magazine.
com boom. Online retail was exploding
However, the company's main focus
everywhere. Many didn't know what that
is e-commerce. It's the direction Kopitz
meant for brick-and-mortar businesses.
knew the industry was headed years
"It started out as a defense strategy," he
ago. Summit Sports has been in business says of his company's early dealings with
for 25 years, and online for 17. "That's
selling items online. "It's now become
why Digital Fuel was interested in us,"
our primary focus:' Three-quarters of his
he says.
company's sales are online.
Digital Fuel Capital is a Boston-based
Ski equipment has always played a
investment firm focused on e-commerce major role in his business. However,
and digital marketing. It has backed a
Kopitz says, Michigan isn't necessarily
number of leading e-commerce compa-
the best place to sell ski equipment Not
nies as platforms for other acquisitions.
many people are buying it in stores.
"Our mission is to invest in excep-
The winters and the state's economy are
tional e-commerce companies and to
inconsistent. This has made the Internet
empower them with access to world-
the perfect place to sell ski gear. The
class resources to improve and grow:'
company can now sell it all over the
says Carson Biederman, president of
world.
Digital Fuel Capital. "Summit is a great
Kopitz is a married father of two.
fit for us with its unique content, inno-
He and his wife, Kathy, live in West
vative online tools and deep product
Bloomfield. He has a son, Brad, who
expertise:'
works as the COO for an online photo
Kopitz is focused on acquiring more
book company called Artifact Uprising.
companies that fit his business model
His daughter, Jess, works as Summit's
— online action sports retailers. This
public relations coordinator. His family
investment will allow the company to
is involved in the Jewish Federation of
do that.
Metropolitan Detroit.
"We were looking for a partner to
Kopitz is always looking to expand
bring expertise and give us capital to
his company. Right now, Summit Sports
grow:' says Kopitz. The process of find-
employs 130 people. That won't change
ing the right partner took about a year,
in the short term, even with this invest-
he says.
ment. However, as his company grows,
With Digital Fuel's help, Summit
so will his work force. "We hope to hire
Sports, a $100 million company, will be
significantly more people each year:'

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