It’s no secret that Steamboat Springs has been home to some of the outdoor industries top companies like Smartwool, BAP, Point6, and Honey Stinger. But Steamboat now has a new kid on the block! Introducing Town Hall Outdoor Co. Town Hall is a new outdoor kids apparel line based right here in beautiful Steamboat Springs, CO.
Everything produced by Town Hall, from jackets and pants to tees and hoodies, is created with sustainability and community in mind. To Town Hall, kids aren’t just mini adults – they are full-size versions of themselves. The Town Hall mentality: Kids are important and need clothes built around their own unique needs and style.
Their companies values are simple:
Environmental Stewardship Confident, educated and impassioned people can move mountains.
Community 1+1=3. When we come together with shared vision, love and concern, the power of our community is unstoppable.
Quality Hand-me-downs should be coveted and passed along with epic tales of adventure that will last as long as the product does.
Trust We earn trust with our partners and consumers through transparency and honesty – in our products, our sustainability efforts, and our brand.
Town Hall Outerwear is available online www.townhallco.com and Ski Haus in Steamboat.
Recently, we sat down with Founder & CEO Robin Hall to pick her brain about Town Hall, and what makes her company unique and special.
Q: What is your name and the name of your business?
A: Robin Hall with Town Hall Outdoor Co
Q: Can you introduce yourself and introduce your business here in Steamboat?
A: I’m Robin Hall and I, along with two other co-founders, started Town Hall in Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 2020. Town Hall was started by parents who wanted a better choice when it came to their kids’ apparel. We wanted to use our years of experience in outdoor apparel to create a new standard in outerwear, built specifically with kids in mind. Kids aren’t mini adults. They are full-size versions of themselves, who need clothes built around their unique needs. And they are inheriting this world, so we want to make sure that everything we create is sustainably made. We use as much recycled material as possible. We believe in reducing our manufacturing footprint. And we don’t believe in taking shortcuts. Our goal is to be planet positive – to leave the planet better than we found it. We’re all about building quality gear that lets kids find joy in the outdoors, and stay warm and comfy doing it.
Q: When did your love of design/outerwear start?
A: My first job out of college was at Gap Inc headquarters in San Francisco, CA. I loved the pace and excitement of the apparel business and loved learning all of the facets of bringing a product to life. My husband and I, having grown up in the Bay Area together and going to college there too, after a few years out of school we thought ‘if we don’t try something new now, we never will.’ So we moved to Breckenridge and I worked for Vail Resorts. That offered a whole host of other learning, but I realized after a few years that I needed to get back to seeing and touching product. So, I got a job at Smartwool in 2009 in Steamboat and we moved up here. That’s where my passion for outerwear and sustainability really kicked in. After 11 years, the brand moved to Denver and our family realized we couldn’t leave this amazing place. So, we stayed in Steamboat and I started Town Hall.
Q: Is there any specific person or place that has influenced your business?
A: Three people have influenced my business. First, my dad. Growing up, my dad taught me through his actions that everyone is equal and everyone has a right to be here and find joy in life. I wanted to sign up to play Little League baseball and realized it was just for boys. He said it didn’t matter and we went right down and registered me to the boys’ league and I never looked back. Second, a mentor of mine Mark Satkiewicz. Mark was my boss and the President of Smartwool and taught me so much about business, following your passion, living life to the fullest and never quitting. Lastly, my husband. Plain and simple, he is my biggest fan, my biggest supporter and inspires so much in me. He makes me a better person. As far as the place – my and our place is Steamboat and we are doing everything that we can to give back here.
Q: Why did you choose Steamboat Springs?
A: When I got the job at Smartwool, we thought ‘let’s just try this little western, mountain town for a few years.’. We had a couple of opportunities over the years to take jobs elsewhere but never took them. We fell in love with the intersection of outdoor recreation, conservation, agriculture, innovation and tourism in this place. And the people? The people are what makes it so special to us. This community is everything to our family and we started Town Hall to keep jobs here and do everything that we can to give back.
Q: When did you start your company, and when did you come up with the concept for Town Hall?
A: In March 2020, one of our co-founders, Joe Solomon, got Jay Lambert and I together after we left Smartwool. He said ‘you two aren’t leaving town. You have to keep that outerwear mentality here and give back’. So, it came together in the form of a Venn diagram. Why are we staying in Steamboat? It is because of our kids and this community. What are we good at? We are pretty darn good at outdoor apparel and navigating the outdoor industry. What are we passionate about? The planet – we just can’t create more stuff to create more stuff. Those three things met in the middle and Town hall was born.
Q: Where can we find Town Hall items?
A: We largely sell on our website: www.townhallco.com and fulfill from our warehouse here in Steamboat. Chances are, our kids will be hand delivering your orders via bike around town. We have partnered with a few key retailers around the state that are doing incredible things in their communities. One of those is Ski Haus in Steamboat. They give top-notch service and advice and have a really well-curated assortment of outdoor gear. We are proud and honored to partner with them.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve designed?
A: I love the Around Town Cold Weather Jacket. The look and feel of it are unique, fun and fresh. It is bomb proof for kiddos outside in the cold. My son wears shorts and this jacket to school on his bike every day and it hasn’t failed. From the magnetic closures to the recycled insulation, this jacket does it all – from ski hill to walks to school.
Q: What is your top selling item?
A: The Mountain Town Winter Jacket. This one has quickly become a fan favorite. Kids love that it is made with over 90% sustainable materials. They continuously rave that it keeps them warm and dry and they are outskiing their parents in it!
Q: What is the number one thing you would like everyone to know about you and Town Hall?
A: Our guiding principles are being planet positive and building community. We intend to leave the planet better than we found it. We believe in People+Planet+Place, and Town Hall’s ‘place’ is Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where getting your gear dirty is a badge of honor and community is everything.
For more info about Steamboat Springs, CO check out these other great resources:
- How To Pack For Your Steamboat Ski Vacation
- 11 Things To Do in Steamboat Off the Slopes!
- Top 15 Restaurants in Steamboat Springs
