In the heart of The Hill, a store filled with colorful displays stands out among the shot houses, restaurants and Italian groceries, drawing in passers-by. This sleek, modern space is the first showroom and retail store for So iLL, a manufacturer of rock climbing holds, shoes and lifestyle apparel owned by husband-and-wife team Dan and Hannah Chancellor.
Hill’s storefront opened in October 2021, but So iLL has built a worldwide reputation among climbers since it marketed its first climbing holds 15 years ago when Dan and his brother, Dave, were students at the University of Southern California. Illinois–Carbondale. In a rental house they shared, the two built their own rock-climbing wall out of hand-poured holds on the kitchen table. Soon they were hiring employees, building the business, and manufacturing and selling wine cellars out of a pole barn on the property.
The brothers were teenagers when they caught the climbing bug on trips with their uncle to southern Missouri. When it was time to go to college, they chose SIU because of its proximity to the Shawnee National Forest, where they could hike on the weekends. The name of the company, So iLL, is a nod to the region.
In 2007, Dan and Hannah met online. So iLL was already producing bookings for companies around the world and building a strong network through trade shows and word of mouth. As the brand grew, the brothers also opened two local climbing gyms: Climb So iLL, the first just east of Lafayette Square and the second in St. Charles. Dave now operates the gyms, while Dan and Hannah focus on retail and product development.
The showroom and store, located on the corner of Marconi and Daggett, was previously occupied by another local brand, clothing company Skif International. It was originally the home of Spielberg Furniture Co., hence its large open layout. Dan had long admired the building, and when it came on the market in early 2020, he knew it would be the perfect home for So iLL.
By September, they had begun work on the building’s basement while renovating the upstairs, starting with painting the dark interior white. The couple’s friend, Sarah Gibson of architecture firm UIC, helped design the climbing gyms. He helped the Chancellors to think about the new space.
“We wanted to keep the shop separate from the work space, but we didn’t want to build walls,” says Hannah. “Sarah helped us define the space. Since it is such a long building, he suggested we do it based on the life cycle of the products.”
They followed his advice, starting at one end, where products are “born” in the design and development area, and then moving on to prototyping, where product samples are organized on boards. The marketing area is dedicated to product photography. At the other end of the open floor are logistics and customer service, along with entrance to the retail space and customer payment. All of the display boards, dividers, and even the checkout counter have wheels for easy portability.
Dan and Hannah worked together to design the mezzanine product displays, creating a rainbow of climbing holds arranged in color families on white pegboards along the back wall. Shoes, bags, and other accessories are similarly displayed, by color in bullet points.
“We wanted to keep everything clean and simple,” says Hannah.
A popular line of shoes, accessories and clothing features a pattern of small repeating triangles inspired by famous collaborator Jason Momoa’s arm tattoo. Like the Chancellor brothers, the actor started climbing when he was young. Dan and Hannah met him through the manager of a Los Angeles climbing gym that Momoa frequents and uses for his holds.
When Momoa was preparing for his starring role in Aquaman, the production company built him a climbing wall to train on while filming abroad. He wanted to wear So iLL restraints, which jump-started their relationship. In 2019, the company launched its first line of shoes, bags and accessories in collaboration with the movie star.
“He likes working with smaller family businesses and we have a lot in common, so it’s been fun,” says Hannah. “He sends us something he likes, or a color he likes, and we go through the process with him, designing and sourcing materials.”
So iLL also recently launched a collaboration with famed rock climber Meagan Martin, who appeared in multiple seasons of American Ninja Warrior. Foraying into clothing for both climbing and lifestyle, the company now offers a line of stretch denim as well as tights. New this year is a line of hair ties, made right here in St. Louis.
How many pools does High Point University have?
HPUREC has five outdoor heated pools, each with a 16-person Jacuzzi that offers a relaxing break. There are nine gyms located throughout campus to give you the opportunity to work out wherever you live. Leisure activities include Bocce Ball, Corn Hole, Ladder Golf, bicycles, trikkes and a tandem bicycle.
Is it OK to climb every day?
Climbing every day for a short period of time, like a week or a month, is perfectly fine (as long as you don’t max climb every day). However, doing so consistently will increase your risk of injury and can lead to a decrease in your overall strength.
Is it okay to climb every day? If you climb every day, at least if you seriously climb every day, you run the risk of wearing down your body and then comes the dreaded overuse injury. As another side effect of never really resting, you won’t get any performance boost. See the article : The fire causes damage worth $ 100K at the Western Hills Sports Mall. Your body needs time to heal and recover, otherwise it will continue to wear out.
How many days a week should I climb?
Climbers should climb 3-4 days a week to get the most gain while minimizing the chance of tendon injury. This may interest you : LG Electronics is moving into the EV charging business. If you climb more than 4 days a week, you significantly increase your chance of tendon injury, which will push back any gains you’ve made.
Is it okay to climb 2 days in a row?
Climbing intensity is key: Peter Beal recommends no more than two days of strenuous bouldering in a row. Change the types of problems you do from one day to the next; keep it varied. To see also : Business Beginnings: A new salad and a new patio in downtown Evanston. Limit sessions to 2-3 hours and stop before you reach a state of exhaustion.
Why do I get pumped so quickly climbing?
Tensing, holding on too much, and being scared/stressed can make climbers feel driven even on terrain that is extremely easy for them. Some fear and physical tension is likely to occur, but be sure to consciously relax to keep as much physical and mental tension out of your body as possible.
How to get rid of arm pump fast? If you do one or two things but neglect the rest, your arm pump may improve, but your problems are unlikely to go away completely.
- Bike setup. …
- Ride, ride, ride, and ride some more! …
- Improve your cardiovascular fitness. …
- Improve your cardiovascular health. …
- Stop eating junk food. …
- Work on your technique. …
- Heating. …
- Keep calm.
Why do my forearms get so pumped?
What is? Arm pump is a clinical condition in which an individual develops intermittent and marked pain in the forearms after a period of exercise or exertion. The pain is believed to arise due to inflammation of the forearm muscles which affects blood flow to these muscles and causes oxygen levels to drop.
What does getting pumped mean in climbing?
Pumped: Being weak or in pain (usually in the forearms) from strenuous movement or climbing. Q. Quickdraw – A short runner used to attach a rope to a bolt-on anchor with carabiners.
