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Photo courtesy Shank’s Mare
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Photo courtesy Shank’s Mare
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Photo courtesy Shank’s Mare
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Photo courtesy Shank’s Mare
When Steve and Liz Winand opened the outdoor shop they had dreamt about for years, they knew just what to call it. Steve’s grandfather had repeated the term many times over—Shank’s Mare, meaning “to travel by foot.”
Having recently celebrated their 40th anniversary, “The name is still appropriate to this day,” shares Liz. “Because all of Shank’s Mare’s activities were and still are self-propelled.”
Those activities include mountain biking, cross country skiing, paddlesports, windsurfing, kayaking, fishing, and disc golf.
Shank’s Mare Outfitters is housed in an historic 1880’s general store in Wrightsville, PA. It offers immediate access to the Susquehanna River and the Mason Dixon Hiking Trail. The retail store offers quality outdoor equipment focused around kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and a recently added disc golfing department.
“Disc golf is growing in popularity in this area,” says Devin Winand, Liz and Steve’s son, who helps run Shank’s Mare. “It is something that has been on our radar for some time.”
In fact, this year’s PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships will be held in York, PA, from July 20-27, 2019. With several disc golf courses nearby in both York and Lancaster, the Winands recognized the community interest and added disc golf equipment to the store.
Retail offerings make up just one aspect of the business Steve and Liz created with the motto, “Go Play Outside.” Shank’s Mare’s Outdoor Education Center provides rentals, lessons, eco-tours, hiking tours, Chesapeake Bay and Florida paddling trips, hiking and paddling dining tours, outdoor adventure camps for kids, school field trip programs, and more. Devin stresses that they have always prioritized education over sales.
In addition, The Rookery banquet facility located on the second floor of their building offers a unique space with a view for private functions, including rehearsal dinners, birthday and anniversary parties, corporate meetings, and club functions.
Steve and Liz admit that they have had to “think outside the box” to survive as a small business over the years, but they have remained dedicated to their original mission: “To offer quality outdoor equipment and programs to people of all ages, and to foster a stewardship of our environment so that it may be protected for and enjoyed by others for years to come.”
Shank’s Mare
2092 Long Level Road, Wrightsville, PA / 717-252-1616 / shanksmare.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Kayak and SUP Demo Weekend – Early Season
Chat with experienced staff to learn about
and test paddle the right kayak or SUP for you. Free program.
Saturday, May 11, 2019, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 12, 2019, Noon - 4 p.m.
Kayak and SUP Demo Weekend – Summer Season
Saturday, June 15, 2019, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, June 16, 2019, Noon - 4 p.m.
Friday Night Unwind
Shank’s Mare’s front porch sets the stage for an annual live summer music series. On-site food service is available from local food trucks. BYOB welcome. No reservations required.
Friday, June 7, 21; July 12, 26; August 9, 23, 2019, from 6-9 p.m.
Shank’s Mare 10th Annual Art and Outdoor Fest and 41st Birthday
Local artists displaying works. Local outdoor historic and cultural organizations presenting information. Family activities, food, refreshments, and live music.
Saturday, August 3, 2019, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Lower Susquehanna Paddlesports Race Series
June 2019 – Susquehanna Riverkeeper Biathlon
August 2019 – Chiques Challenge
September 2019 – Muddy Run Race
Kayak Anglers of Central PA Tournaments & Heroes on the Water Events
Kayak Anglers of Central PA sponsors kayak fishing tournaments. Held at Shank’s Mare and other local waterways.
Heroes on the Water provides fishing sessions to area veterans and their families free of charge.
2019 Dates TBA
Veterans on the River Kayak Fishing Event
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Trout Unlimited, and Shank’s Mare partner with Heroes on the Water to provide a day of fishing to veterans and their families.
2019 Dates TBA
Susquehanna Holiday Trail
Visit Shank’s Mare and other Wrightsville businesses for a scenic day shopping on the river.
2019 Dates TBA
