By Ida Koric, Rossland News
Celebrity shredder Dave Cashen has alighted in the midst of our alpine paradise, and may well never leave.
After a decade of professional boarding and sponsored amateur skating, Cashen is venturing into the chaotic world of retail. His recent acquisition of RossVegas Board Shop promises to bring exciting changes to the store itself, and the skate and snowboard communities of Rossland.
One thing Cashen has certainly brought to town is inspiration. His career path was altered suddenly and brutally when he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. In order to beat the disease, doctors had to remove Cashen’s entire stomach, which meant a drastic change in lifestyle. Through creativity and perseverance, he managed to find a dynamic and challenging was to stay close to the sports he was passionate about.
“My desire to return to the mountains, and the things I have a passion for was all I thought about,” Cashen said about his thoughts after the surgery.
In order to carry out these goals, Cashen reflected on the places he had visited during his snowboarding career, and created a list of potential options. The Kootenays kept coming up as a region with many of the things he was looking for:
“I had visited Rossland and Red Mountain a few years prior, and I just fell in love,” he said.
Retail is not a new concept for Cashen, who had the opportunity to work with, and even part own (Wildcats and Cashless Inc) major gear and clothing brands in the industry.
Nelson was a skipping stone for Cashen, who spent eight months cutting his retail teeth at the Ripping Giraffe Boardshop, before taking the plunge into ownership. The original vision of the store will remain; the shop will carry core brands for the avid and passionate participants of snowboarding and skating, as well as the fashion brands related to the culture.
Some changes will include a number of new brands for the winter, with an abundance of new labels and show suppliers for the spring.
Starting off the line with some minor renovations, Cashen was looking to “start moving things in a direction I believe to be best for the shop, the scene and the community.”
In the future, he hoped to use his connections to the world of board and skate to bring in exciting events and opportunities. For now, however, he is volunteering his time to both the Rossland and Trail skate park committees.
Two months in to the whirlwind experience of starting a fresh career path in a new town, Cashen is extremely busy, but content.
“It’s so beautiful here; the people are so nice, it’s quiet and there is an abundance of amazing things to do. I’m so happy to be here. I feel as if this is where I’m meant to be,” he said.
Seems like a visit to the new and improved RossVegas Boardshop is in order. Take the opportunity to peruse the new goods and welcome Dave Cashen to town. From the sounds of it, he’ll be sticking around for a while.