LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Louisville-based family business is making waves at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, with their ski accessories being worn by several Team USA women's skiers over the next two weeks.
Valley Vista Ski Products, run by the Lawler family from their Highlands home, produces "Ski Skootys" and other ski accessories that will be featured on the boots of Olympic athletes including Keeley Cashman, Isabella Wright, and Nina O'Brien.
"We can call it a big fancy title, but it's not. We're a family," said company vice president Sally Lawler.
The company operates from an unexpected headquarters – the Lawler family's Louisville home – with manufacturing taking place just down the road in Brooks, Kentucky.
"It's really cool to see the growth of it and to be able to say we're made in Kentucky and we're exporting all over, that's something we take pride in and that's really cool for us," Co-Founder Reid Lawler said.
Valley Vista Ski Products manufactures three different products for skiers worldwide, including customers in Europe, Japan, and Russia. The global reach sometimes surprises the family.
"A lot of interesting places where they call or text me in the middle of the night. Saying hey, we want to carry your product. And it's like, where in the heck did you find us?" said Sally Lawler.
The company began in 2010 with the original Ski Skootys, which help prevent wear and tear and allow natural heel-toe motion while wearing ski boots. The Ski Skootys Claws feature retractable cleats for better traction.
"This is our ski skooty claws, that's our second version. You can see on the bottom it's got cleats on the bottom so you don't have to worry about sliding on them," said Reid Lawler.
Both boot covers adjust to different boot sizes and fit easily in a pocket or small bag. The company's third and newest product, the "Bootaclava," is a boot warmer.
Rob Lawler invented the products after years of skiing experience.
"I've skied for the past 25 years out in Colorado. We were looking for something we could sell to the ski market," Rob Lawler said.
His wife Sally and their son Reid handle marketing for the products.
"He keeps on inventing all these different products. But that's what he does. He's just a habitual-type inventor," Sally Lawler said.
Seeing their products at the Olympics represents a dream come true for the Lawler family.
"My mom was borderline in tears. It's just cool to see everything full circle," Reid Lawler said.
What started as one idea turned into their life's work.
"It's really cool to see so many of the women that we're working with actually qualify and have a chance to win it all," said Reid Lawler.
If you'd like to learn more about Ski Skootys, click here: Skootys-Comfort for the Sole