Sports shop in Selva di Val Gardena with a long tradition

For over a century Sport Bruno Riffeser stands for expert advice - How the oldest specialist shop for sports equipment in Val Gardena was founded in the centre of Selva Gardena

• 1902: Vinzenz Riffeser de Pigon and his wife Carolina Pitscheider de la Gerva open the B & B „Villa Riffeser“, with a shop on the ground floor selling „articles for tourists” and as such becomes the first shop in the Val Gardena valley to start selling sports equipment.
• 1918: In the middle of the difficult times of the world economic crisis, daughter Marianna takes over the running of the shops in Villa Riffeser.
• Around 1930: Sofie Riffeser de Pigon joins her sister Marianna in running the family business, occasionally entertaining guests with her musical skills, as in those days there was a piano in the shop.
• 1967: The 3rd generation, Bruno Riffeser, Sofie’s son, takes over the shop. He enlarges the premises and gives it a new appearance by changing the shop windows and the interior decoration.
• 1969: Bruno opens the ski rental business in an adjoining hut.
• 1975: A new extension is added to Villa Riffeser, increasing the shop`s size again.
• 1976: Together with his wife Monica Messner, Bruno opens the new sports shop. The shop is now double its original size.
• 1978: The ski rental hut is enlarged.
• 1988: The sports shop is once again refurbished and the basement, the same size as the ground floor, is incorporated. In the following years the shop is refurbished and upgraded every 4-5 years.
• 1995: Son Martin enters the business.
• 1997: The ski rental workshop is extended.
• 2002: Centenary anniversary. The technical department of the shop in the basement is enlarged. Son Gabriel enters the business.
• 2012: The 110th anniversary of the sports shop.

Over four generations the business has developed into a specialized shop offering both winter and summer sports equipment and clothing and established a good reputation both in and beyond the Val Gardena valley.