J Skis, Ski the East create an ‘Intergalactic’ hangout in Burlington, Vt.

Intergalactic Headquarters in Burlington, Vt. (J Skis)

If it is possible to harness the best of skiing and snowboarding culture into a 4,000-square-foot space, the founders of J Skis and Ski the East collectively figured out how to do it.

Walking into their newly opened Intergalactic Headquarters on Main Street in Burlington, Vt. — a ski shop/retail store/game room/bar/hangout — is like magically finding your way inside a snow globe where soothing vibes are continually swirling around you.

“I had hopes the place would be perceived as a ‘go to’ for skiers and snowboarders to feel super-comfortable and at-home,” Jason Levinthal, founder of the popular custom ski company J Skis, said. “Same as you would feel hanging in the base lodge after a day on the hill, talking about your favorite runs over a hot chocolate or beer, knowing you’d bump into like-minded people with the same passion.”

Levinthal shared his idea for the space with fellow Burlington friends, Ski the East co-founders Geoff McDonald and Chris “Rooster” James, and they agreed that combining the two East Coast brands on such a venture was a perfect fit. The two brands have worked together in the past on ski and clothing collaborations. J Skis’ limited edition “All Play” and “Ice Lightning” models both rocked STE graphics.

“We’ve been longtime fans of each other’s brands, friends and business collaborators,” said Levinthal, who built the first twin-tip skis in his parents’ garage and founded Line Skis in 1995. “We’re both focused and passionate about skiing, sharing the same perspective of not taking ourselves or the sport seriously, but being serious about building stoke around the sport while both growing up in, and based in, the East.”

The partners located a building, the former O’Briens Salon, and spent a couple months renovating. The space features 300-year-old barn-board walls and is decorated throughout with ski and snowboard memorabilia. J Skis can be purchased and bindings mounted on-site in the lab. About half the building is occupied by Ski the East as a retail space for its signature, branded apparel and filmmaking content.

A lounge and bar — J Brewskis — serves hot chocolate, soda, IPAs and snack foods like popcorn and pretzels. Snowsports movies play continually on a large-screen display, and guests are encouraged to plug their own GoPros into one of the big TVs mounted on the wall in order to share the exploits of their day on the hill. 

The headquarters hosted a grand opening on the weekend of Nov. 12-13 and about 1,000 people showed up to check it out.

“We were blown away by the passion and enthusiasm of our fans and everyone that attended,” said Levinthal, whose company, until now, interacted with its customers exclusively online. “We were beyond honored to see so much support and it was the first time that we were able to be face to face with so many fans of J skis.”

Levinthal said they are encouraging people to use the space as their own to host events, clinics, movie premiers, athlete appearances, workshops, etc. Already booked are events for Chicks on Sticks, a University of Vermont-based club of skiers and riders advocating for accessibility and inclusivity in snowsports, and Unlikely Riders, an organization that runs programs to reduce or eliminate the barriers to snowsports for BIPOC Vermonters.

Well-known local skier Michael Hayes, who when not chasing turns on Vermont peaks works as global head of digital and technology at Ben & Jerry’s, booked the Intergalactic Headquarters for his own upcoming birthday party.

“It isn’t just the headquarters for STE and J Skis, but it’s the home of skiing on the East Coast,” Hayes said. “That’s exactly where I wanted my party.”

Hayes said the new space is a bit hard to describe because nothing else like it exists. “It’s not just a ski shop, it’s not just a bar, it’s not just a museum — but a mixture of all of that and more. The decor feels like you’re right at the lodge on the hill, there are ski movies pumping through the TVs, and your favorites après drinks getting served. All that said, my favorite thing is the people. It truly brings the winter sports community together. Everyone shares stories of their day and plans for the future.”

J Brewskis serves hot and cold drinks Monday-Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Vermont favorites like Heady Topper, Fiddlehead IPA and Green State Lager are available as well as — of course — cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

“We have lots of skiers and snowboarders come in after a day on the hill still wearing their snowpants,” Levinthal said. “Instead of après at the bar at the local hill, they come back to town on their way home and stop in to hang out, have a drink at the bar, and après all day.

“We’ve also had lots of kids, all ages, which is a big goal of mine, to make sure the space is super-inclusive,” Levinthal said. “We don’t want it to be a bar where you feel intimidated. We’ve had lots of kids after school or on weekends stop in for the best hot chocolate in town, snacks, and watch ski movies with friends or play classic video games. We even have skitars (guitars made of skis) people can jam out on.”

Matt Boxler can be reached at [email protected].