Our History
Lake Drive Grand Opening
Bill Pearson was born to Swedish immigrants in 1925 and grew up skiing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Bill and his wife Gerry taught their three children how to ski at an early age and quickly established a circle of friends who also shared their enthusiasm and love of the outdoors with their children.
Finding good quality equipment and expert advice was almost impossible when Bill Pearson was growing up. He took to special ordering equipment for his family and other local skiers and soon started selling merchandise out of his garage.
As skiing continued to grow in popularity, Bill looked for a way to fill the need for quality equipment. Bill had a good friend in Paul Plasman. Both were avid outdoorsmen and shared a special passion for skiing. Together they vowed to venture forward with a dream and formed a partnership. They quit their day jobs, pooled their resources and opened Bill & Paul’s.
Bill & Paul built their business based on integrity, honesty and value. They established a reputation that brought increasing numbers of customers from around the state. These two friends promoted the sports they loved by forming ski clubs, organizing trips, providing rental equipment and offering professional instruction. In the summer months the store sold lightweight camping and backpacking gear.
Wealthy Street
A revolution was occurring in the manufacturing of ski equipment. Wood and leather were being replaced by epoxy and plastics. With snowmaking and European instructors, Michigan ski resorts were driving new demand for skiing.
During this time Bill & Paul’s established themselves as a national leader in ski retail by selling and servicing these new technologies. Apart from skis, you could now shop the Haus for golf, tennis, archery, and even snowmobiles!
A new outdoor industry based around backpacking was taking shape and Bill & Paul’s was one of the first stores in the country to stock brands like Gerry, Kelty, and The North Face. Carl Devol, a veteran shop manager from Christy Sports in Colorado, joined the team in the late 60’s, beginning the legacy of staffing the Haus with helpful individuals who participated in the activities the store represented.
K2 Skis Founded
Lange Introduces Plastic Ski Boots
B&P Ski School Founded
Down but Not Out
The American economy was in the midst of a deep recession and Grand Rapids had suffered through two very low snowfall winters in 1979 and 1980.
Closing the North Kent store postponed the decision, but eventually in 1982 Bill & Paul’s joined thousands of small businesses in the US in closing their doors. In the spring of ’82 Bill, Eric, and BT warehoused the remaining inventory and began working on a plan to re-open. (Yooper Spirit!) While searching for a new home, Bill Pearson leveraged his strong relationships within the ski and outdoor industries to form partnerships that allowed Bill & Paul’s to re-open, fully pay their creditors, and grow into the successful enterprise it is today.
The Re-Birth of an Icon
On the corner of Fulton and Benjamin sat a small building housing an accountant and a recently vacated dentist office. The team saw something in that structure and location that called out to them. Over the summer of 1983 they renovated the dentist office into a small retail space with the feel of an old Alps village and that fall they re-opened the Sporthaus.
With Bill Pearson’s vision, Eric’s talents for managing the numbers, Bill Thoms’ commitment as a stable and reliable manager, and Kim joining the team as clothing buyer and partner, the Sporthaus began to grow, eventually occupying the entire Fulton Street location. Windsurfing and kayaking were exciting new summer categories that could be found in the Haus. Innovations in clothing such as fleece and Gore-Tex® became important stories for the avid outdoor lovers.
Local ski area Cannonsburg was thriving, hosting both the largest adaptive ski and adult (beer) league programs in the country! Bill Pearson, with a solid team to run the store, began taking his infamous European ski trips.
In 1984 the Sporthaus began working with Stevens Advertising. Using the beloved peaked roof inside the Fulton Street store, they developed the iconic logo and helped Bill & Paul’s establish their brand as a specialty outdoor retailer—core pieces to the long-lasting success of the store.
Ron Hausmann joins the team
The Haus begins carrying snowboards
Arc'teryx founded
Plastic kayaks were created
East Paris
Growth at the Haus’
As more and more people turned to outdoor activities and the reputation of Bill & Paul’s grew, the Fulton Street location became too small. To stay in business, they would need a larger space. Choosing to relocate rather than close, the Pearsons became pioneers in the development of the East Paris business corridor.
The shops at 1200 East Paris opened in the spring of 1996.
Bill & Paul’s anchored the complex in a new 10,000 sq. ft. building and surrounded themselves with specialty retailers, businesses, and restaurants. Ample parking, lots of room on the sales floor, a state-of-the-art ski shop, and plenty of storage were all designed to provide the best customer experience possible.
Local architect Jim Winter-Troutwine designed the building that gave the store its character and played on the tradition of the peaked roof. Staying focused on the four disciplines of skiing, snowboarding, paddling, and hiking, the store continued to grow as a favorite destination to buy gear and clothing to support those activities.
In 2011 Bill & Paul’s celebrated 50 years of retailing outdoor equipment and clothing, a rare accomplishment in the industry.
1997
Merrell Footwear is purchased by Wolverine World Wide HQ moved to Rockford, MI
2006
Bill & Paul's first website is launched at billandpauls.com
New Owners
In 2016 the Pearson era came to an end with the sale of the store to Dan and Pamella DeVos. The DeVos family are second- and third-generation customers who had fond memories of buying their skis and other equipment at Bill & Paul’s through the years.
As owners they aim to ensure Bill & Paul’s remains dedicated to serving the needs of outdoor recreation lovers in Grand Rapids and beyond for years to come.
In 2018 the DeVos’s completed a large-scale renovation of the interior of Bill & Paul’s, a sign of their commitment to the mission and future of the store. The goal was to create a place the West Michigan outdoor community would want to enjoy for more than just shopping.
Improvements were made to traffic flow, lighting, and merchandising, including comfortable areas where customers could sit, relax, and visit. In an era of instant gratification via the internet, Bill & Paul’s believes the concept of great product presented by friendly, well-trained staff in an entertaining environment is still a preferred way to shop. Stop in, say hi, and let us know what you think!
For over 5 decades Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus has served the Grand Rapids winter sport and outdoor market. The store has earned many awards throughout the years such as:
- Ski Industries of America’s Downhill Retailer of the Year
- Ski Industries of America’s Cross Country Ski Retailer of the Year
- Snow Country Magazine's America's Top Shops
- Skiing Magazine's Gold Medal Ski Shops
We’re consistently voted among the best local retailers. These are great compliments—but what we’re most proud of are the long-lasting relationships with our customers and staff built on trust and a shared love of playing outdoors.
