“Women are not small men. At Outdoor DIVAS we live by this motto.” In its original Latin form, the word diva was the feminine version of divine. In the earliest dictionaries, ancient wordsmiths created male and female versions of divine with equal standing. Somewhere along the way, that initial emphasis on equality lost its way in the wilderness.

For years, women who wanted to buy outdoor specialty apparel or gear found limited options. Most had to settle for men’s small, if it was even offered. Today, the purchasing power of female outdoor enthusiasts has changed the face of the market. Kim Walker, founder and owner of Outdoor DIVAS in Boulder, Colorado, is making sure women get the attention they deserve.

“I lived in Vail for 12 years and could never find products for myself in one place, I had to go to five different shops to find something to fit me,” recalled Walker.

The business plan for Outdoor DIVAS was born of that frustration. Opened in November 2002, the store has 3,000 square feet of selling space that is dedicated 100% to women’s products.

Outdoor DIVAS’ customers come from all walks of life, leaving no age group behind. “We look at women in their life stages; out of college, professional, women with children, children in school and empty nesters,” explained Walker.

The stores product selection addresses three distinct kinds of buyers: Fitness, Serenity, and Adventure. Fitness, the largest segment, is women who are getting into shape. Serenity describes people who enjoy the outdoors on a holistic level; the outdoors contributes to their mind/body wellness. Adventure seekers want to experience the thrill of the sport. “As opposed to age, we have a psychographic segmentation and each segment can span different age groups,” said Walker.

Walker promotes the store with newspaper advertising, a monthly e-newsletter, promotional email messages, and a website. This year, Outdoor DIVAS will increase its visibility by attending races, events, and demo days to introduce new audiences to the store.

The way an Outdoor DIVAS customer defines herself may differ from woman to woman, but the store’s specialization and focus has created a shared sense of loyalty. “We really believe that there is a feeling of entitlement that women have when they are here. We do find that they are coming back because of that. Women are brand loyal and when they find something that works for them they will come back again and again. They recommend us to friends,” Walker said.

In addition to a broad selection of clothing and gear, Outdoor DIVAS offers clinics and events tailored to each audience segment. Kayak clinics, mountain bike workshops, and special Mother’s Day climbing events have been well received. Speakers like Lynn Hill, Anna Levesque, and Jennifer Jordan draw people throughout the year.

Acknowledging a broad spectrum of her customers’ life experiences and outdoor skills, Walker has trained her staff to make the customer feel comfortable and learn about their motivations before beginning a selling process. This philosophy is carried through into the store’s layout, which reflects a women’s perspective. Tangible examples include wide, open aisles and fitting rooms large enough to accommodate mothers with strollers. “We’ve tried to create an atmosphere different from a traditional outdoor store to make it more comfortable for women if they are experienced buyers or new to the sports. We spend a lot of time looking at merchandising,” explained Walker.

The selection at Outdoor DIVAS shows just how far manufacturers have come in their efforts to address a women’s needs. “They have come a long way. It’s a dramatic change from even five years ago, especially in hard goods like skis. There are definitely segments that need improvement, but they have come a long way,” offered Walker.

Once overlooking women, manufacturers now keep Walker’s phone busy with questions about what her customers are talking about. “They ask us what the customer is looking for. Is it the fit, the color, the function, what’s the hottest thing? And they are listening to us,” she said. The staff often receives new gear to wear, test, and critique.

Operating a gender specific outdoor store has its unique challenges. “The industry has traditionally been male dominated. It has been a challenge to find women with experience selling hardgoods. Usually men are fitting boots and selling skis and women selling apparel,” Walker explained. To address the problem, most of the women selling hardgoods have been trained from the ground up.

Since the store opened, sales have increased year to year. Hardgoods sales have increased faster than forecasted. At this pace, the definition of divas will soon have to include, ‘outdoor goddesses.”