History of Sitzmark Sports in Kansas City

We are proud to have served the Kansas City ski, snowboard, wake, and skate communities for over 50 years!

In August of 1968, Kansas City’s first ever ‘ski shop’ opened in the Louisburg Square shopping center in old Overland Park.  It was a brand new concept in cities all over United States, let alone the Midwest…a retail store dedicated to winter sports NOT located in the mountains.  It was risky, but the founders were not deterred.  They wanted Kansas City to have a LOCAL store so people could have access to the latest equipment and apparel before they traveled on their winter adventures.  A ton has changed between now and then…ski equipment technology, outerwear technology, fashion trends, the birth of entire sports like snowboarding, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, etc…but the core concept of the store has always stayed the same.  Sitzmark Sports was and is a specialty store that is focused on customer service and the sports we love.

Take a look back with us at some of our favorite moments in time over the years!

Timeline of Sitzmark Sports:

• 1968 – Sitzmark Sports the original location in Louisburg Square
• 1972 – Steve (our current owner) starts working at the shop after graduation from Pittsburg State University
• 1978 – Built and opened the second and current location on 105th and Marty
• 1980 – Purchased 3 Gateway Sporting stores & closed the original location
• 1981 – Opened two new stores, one on the Plaza and one at the Landing Shopping Center
• 1985 – Opened store in Platte City, closer to Snow Creek
• 1989 – Closed Plaza and Landing stores
• 1990 – Closed Platte City store