Wilderness Exchange Unlimited
Don Bushey, an avid rock climber and backcountry skier, found his passion for outdoor sports shortly after college. Realizing how expensive adventure hobbies could be, Don went on the hunt for alternative options. With this notion, Don achieved his dream of opening an outdoor gear and equipment consignment shop, Wilderness Exchange Unlimited, in 2000. Wilderness Exchange Unlimited purchases overstocked items, close-outs, and cosmetic seconds from manufacturers, then sells these items at a discount of up to 60%, allowing everyone from the first-time adventurer to the seasoned expert to enjoy the natural beauty Colorado provides. In July of 2012, Don expanded the business to include online sales and needed additional storage space for his products.
“We simply couldn’t have done it without Small Business Administration funding, and B:Side Capital,” Don stated. Along with Piper Pierce of Great Western Bank, Don secured a Small Business Administration 504 loan to purchase and renovate a 4,800 square foot building to be the command center for his online business. With this new space Don is able to provide adventure junkies with even more “top gear at the bottom dollar.”