La Cañada Flintridge in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Sport Chalet
Olberz Park
| — | La Cañada Flintridge | — |
Photographed by Craig Baker, March 8, 2025
1. Sport Chalet Marker
In 1959, Norbert Olberz and his wife Irene opened a little ski shop in La Cañada Flintridge. They anted up all of their savings and set up shop in a 900 square foot store on Foothill Blvd. The first year was lean for the pioneering couple. They slept in the back of the shop on cots, showered outside with a garden hose and cooked on an old camp stove.
Norbert had a knack for business and knew he was onto something special. He recognized that skiers needed a friendly place where they could find high quality ski equipment, bring in old gear for repairs and maintenance, and get advice from experts. Skiers heard about the new store and Sport Chalet was on the map.
Norbert's vision extended well beyond the slopes. Someone mentioned scuba and soon, Sport Chalet became one of the first sporting goods retailers to offer dive gear and lessons even from the unlikely mooring at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Always a step ahead, Norbert added equipment for the emerging sports of rock climbing, backpacking and mountaineering. He invented many sporting goods items still in use today. Sticking
this page online
Norbert believed that the best place in the entire world to live was La Cañada Flintridge. Thus, he became an avid supporter of the community for more than 50 years.
The secret to Norbert's success... "See things through the eyes of the customer. Keep them coming back with great products and service. Don't try to be the biggest, but the best. Do a thousand things a little bit better."
City of La Cañada Flintridge
Olberz Park
Dedicated on March 14, 2009
In appreciation of the Olberz family and their contributions to the community.
Erected 2009 by City of La Cañada Flintridge.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is March 14, 2009.
Location. 34° 12.274′ N, 118° 11.874′ W. Marker is in La Cañada Flintridge, California, in Los Angeles County. It can be reached from the intersection
Photographed by Craig Baker, March 8, 2025
2. Olberz Park Tribute
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles and in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexico’s Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: La Cañada Centennial Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); La Cañada Congregational Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lanterman House (approx. half a mile away); Japanese Garden (approx. ¾ mile away); Descanso Gardens (approx. 0.8 miles away); a different marker also named Descanso Gardens (approx. 0.9 miles away); Jet Propulsion Laboratory (approx. 1.4 miles away); The Voyager Spacecraft - Interplanetary Explorers (approx. 1.4
Photographed by Craig Baker, March 8, 2025
3. Olberz Park Markers
Regarding Sport Chalet. During the 1960s and 1970s, Sport Chalet grew piecemeal along both sides of Foothill Boulevard. Norbert Olberz converted a former grocery store into a full-line sporting goods store and an old furniture store became the ski shop. He also converted a gas station into a ski rental shop and opened a golf store down the street. Sport Chalet's location was near Angeles Crest Highway, a major route into the San Gabriel Mountains and the Angeles National Forest. Early on, Sport Chalet stocked products that few other stores sold.
By the mid-1980s, the company expanded to have stores throughout Southern California. Most stores were over 35,000 square feet in size. Large apparel and footwear departments were complemented by an array of specialized departments and sections. Sport Chalet started being traded publicly on the NASDAQ exchange in 1992.
In 2009 a new flagship Sport Chalet store opened near the location of the original ski shop. The new complex included a shopping center, an office building for the company headquarters, and
Photographed by Craig Baker, March 8, 2025
4. Olberz Park Markers
In the background is a Sprouts market, which was the original large Sport Chalet store.
Norbert Olberz died in La Cañada Flintridge on July 15, 2011.
In 2014 Sport Chalet was sold to Vestis Retail Group, which also owned the Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob's Stores sporting goods chains. On April 16, 2016, Vestis announced it had filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
All Sport Chalet stores closed in 2016.
Photographed by Craig Baker, March 8, 2025
5. Olberz Park
In the background is a Target store which was originally built in 2009 as the new Sport Chalet flagship store.
Photographed by Craig Baker, March 8, 2025
6. Sport Chalet Logo Gift Box
A memento purchased on the last day of business in 2016.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 997 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 8, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
