Sports Authority Ski & Snowboard/SNIAGRAB line forming!: A look at the annual tent city

The world's largest Ski & Snowboard Sale at Sports Authority starts at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. So, you have a few days to prepare your wish list and walk right in Saturday morning, right? No. As of Sunday night, the "Sportscastle" had its first set of tent dwellers, lining up...

By Johnny Molfetta

August 30, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

The world's largest Ski & Snowboard Sale at Sports Authority starts at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. So, you have a few days to prepare your wish list and walk right in Saturday morning, right? No. As of Sunday night, the "Sportscastle" had its first set of tent dwellers, lining up for the largely discounted inventory, eagerly awaiting the door's opening... in about a week. Around 10 p.m. Sunday night, four Colorado Christian University students began setting up their living areas. Board games, cards, computers and GoGurt. An all night rager, perhaps? Not so much. These few are awaiting SNIAGRAB. (For newcomers, that's "BARGAINS" spelled backwards.) Sports Authority's annual sale that begins in a little less than a week. That's roughly 130 hours to you and me, kids.

So what would compel a group of college students to live in a tent on Broadway, you ask?

Snowboard boots.

"We work in shifts" says Jessiah Bram, nineteen. "There's an Arby's, a corner store, and a port-o-potty nearby. So, we're good." The college posse, which has a girls' tent and a boys' tent, will be quadrupling in size by tonight's end, bringing homework and musical instruments to pass the time. A small price to pay to be the first in line.

Strangely enough, they aren't the first inhabitants. An elusive "Dr. Kleinpeter" was nowhere to be found, as his tent lay small and unattended. The only remnant of the fabled practitioner was a fan and a sign that read "Dr. Kleinpeter is #1." Well, wherever you are Doctor... I'm glad I'm not sick.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.