Tim Lencki was considering a career change about 15 years ago when he visited an outfitting shop that sold paddle sports equipment and bicycles.
It occurred to him that a store like that would be a good fit for Waupaca, which has ample flat water paddling on the Chain O’ Lakes, biking on rural roads and trails, and Hartman Creek State Park nearby.
It also was a good fit for Lencki, who has a degree in exercise science and grew up exploring the outdoors in the Waupaca area.
With the help of an investor, Lencki found a storefront in downtown Waupaca and launched Adventure Outfitters. He says the location has good traffic and puts them in the heart of the community where he can build connections.
“I think that relationships and being involved in the community have always been a priority,” Lencki says.
For example, Adventure Outfitters has organized an annual flotilla to raise funds that have benefited schools and parks.
“We try to involve ourselves in the community as much as we can, whether it’s myself sitting on boards or providing different events or activities for people to enjoy,” Lencki says.
Those relationships have helped the business grow.
A few years after opening, the Friends of Hartman Creek State Park approached Lencki and asked if he would run a concession at the park’s beach. Adventure took that on and now rents out kayaks, bikes and other equipment for use at the park.
In 2019, Lencki had a chance to expand again when he was approached about leasing space next to Clearwater Harbor Restaurant on Taylor Lake. Now the business offers paddle sports equipment rentals and guided tours from its lakeside location.
The relationships also resulted in Adventure Outfitters being nominated for and winning the first-ever Wisconsin Governor’s Outdoor industry Business Award this year.
Lencki says the business has always done pretty well and attributes that to good timing with the ongoing growth of paddle sports and an outdoors boom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also has kept abreast of trends, adding e-bikes in recent years and seeking new opportunities for adventure packages. Those packages include everything from guided nighttime tours with LED-lit clear kayaks to snowshoe hikes.
The store also sells cross-country ski equipment, snowshoes, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards and “acoustic” bikes, as Lencki refers to them.
He anticipates growth in group trips and new routes for adventures on the Crystal and Waupaca rivers.
While the business does not offer formal education, Lencki says anyone who comes into the store will leave with more knowledge about the equipment and about local opportunities to get outside, even if they don’t make a purchase.
“It’s been a blessing all the way through, to be part of helping people to get outside,” Lencki says. “I’m just very blessed to have this opportunity.”
