Less ego, more eco: New consignment store for outdoor equipment opens in the Granary District

In an outdoor recreation world that can take itself “too seriously” — and be prohibitively expensive — Wonderland Gear Exchange wants to offer some relief, said co-founder Ben Mawhinney.

The consignment gear retailer has been operating under a soft opening in Salt Lake City’s Granary District, at 660 S. 400 West, since December. It hosts its grand opening Saturday, with giveaways and the company’s first “sample sale” — featuring one-of-a-kind items made as prototypes before mass production — from brands like Smartwool, Helly Hansen and Fjallraven.

This is the company’s second store; the first opened in Seattle in 2018. It sells used ski, snowboard, climbing, backpacking, rafting and biking equipment and more, with the aim to keep those items out of landfills and get them back into the community, while reducing costs. Mawhinney said the company has a “big focus” on kids’ gear.

Their inventory is typically around 60% consignment gear and 30% discounted items from demos, samples or closeouts, he said. The remaining 10% consists of new items like helmets, repair tools and trail foods.

Used apparel is typically marked down at least 50% from its original price, and used gear will often be discounted at least 40%. A new Patagonia Nano Puff jacket can cost $230, but Mawhinney said Wonderland has one in excellent condition for $99.

So far, Mawhinney said, the Salt Lake City community has been “extraordinarily welcoming and supportive.” About 500 people have already brought in items for consignment.

“It looks very full,” he said Friday, “but we know from experience that we can cram in a lot more stuff.”

The Seattle store sees approximately 2,500 new consigners a year, with more than 35,000 pieces of gear consigned annually, Mawhinney said.

Still, Mawhinney said, Wonderland is “first and foremost” a community resource.

“This means that we’re here to educate people and provide a service, not to sell you things you don’t need. Sure, you can find some used gear on Facebook Marketplace,” he said, “but, if you’re new to an activity, how do you know what to buy?”

That’s where Wonderland staff can help, he said. Customers can ask questions and decide what best suits their needs and budget.

He said that after Saturday, the store will add two more spaces: a vintage outdoor lifestyle apparel section with work and Western wear, and free do-it-yourself bike-washing and ski-tuning stations.

“We also think that the outdoor industry can sometimes take itself too seriously,” Mawhinney said, “and we try to bring a sense of humor to our space.”

To the end, Mawhinney said that the store will soon host “Type-2 Fun Story Slams” where storytellers can spin yarns about strenuous, sometimes harrowing, outdoor adventures that turned out to be a lot of fun. The store will also hold “Pitch-Your-Trailmate” dating events.

Mawhinney said he opened this store in Salt Lake City’s already crowded outdoor recreation scene in part because Utah is home to all those retailers. He hopes Wonderland can complement those stores.

Mawhinney said he opened the Seattle store seven years ago with a $15,000 “shoestring budget.” The team salvaged fixtures from a defunct Bed Bath & Beyond and brought in pizza to get friends to help paint the place.

This time around, the team is still on a “shoestring budget,” Mawhinney said, noting some of this racks are from a closed REI.

But they’ve learned a lot, too. Like how to build an adaptable store with shelving that can shift to fit the varying items ranging from “really big coolers” to “really small water bottles,” Mawhinney said.

They’ve also refined the consignment process, adding automatic email receipts for items dropped off, notifications when items are sold, and the ability to transfer money to a PayPal account instead of sending a physical check (which they’ll also do).

Opening the Salt Lake City store has been “surreal and amazing,” he said.

“I just feel very grateful that I have a team around me that is as excited about the mission as I am,” he said, “and wants to build something together.”