In the fall of 1989, two dedicated ski bums decided the time was right to open a new ski shop in the Seacoast dedicated to offering the best in custom ski tuning and repair. Rich Kane and Bob Siener, who had over 13 years experience between them, had honed their skills working at shops like Carroll Reed, The Downhill Edge and at companies like Marker USA. At the time, there was not a shop that truly specialized in service and Rich and Bob quickly developed a local following of customers who appreciated the high level of service and knowledge found at this new shop. This was the beginning of Fire On The Mountain.

The early days were truly unique in that there was always work to be done but at the same time if snow was falling in the mountains, often the store would be "closed due to an emergency" - getting first tracks!!! Our customers back then were often at the same place we were, so no one seemed to mind! Most days the shop was full of skis and boots and the noise of tuning machines and the smell of hot wax filled the air.

The first couple of years saw the addition of new ski hardgoods to the store. Early brands sold included Marker, Research Dynamics, Nishizawa, Dynamic, Dachstein and Nordica. Every year brought new lines and a gradual expansion into the old house at the corner of First and Chestnut streets. Each spring, Rich and Bob would head to Utah, Colorado and Wyoming to meet product managers and find new and exciting products to introduce for the following season.

By 1992 we had taken over the first and second floors of the building and that brought the addition of clothing and telemark gear to the shop. The famous FOTM "Boot Club" boot leasing program started and continues to this day. Our old 1967 VW Bus was always present for the annual Dover Christmas Parade. Customers would look forward to receiving the FOTM newsletter in the mail. Chock full of what was new, what was hot and what was being listened to in the shop - this was required reading for all skiers.

The mid nineties saw Bob take over the shop and introduce a snowboard section known as Burning Boards. This was an exciting time as snowboarding was a taking off and it fit in perfectly with the existing vibe at the shop. Our famous ski parties were being held at great bars like the Codfish, Margaritas, and Fire House One. These parties were the genesis for the ski movie premiere parties that continue to this day. Burning Boards and Fire On The Mountain were now known through out New England as a true core shop run by dedicated skiers and snowboarders - great service, customer support and having fun was our mission!

As the years went by, more and more athletes like Seth Morrison, Shane McConkey, Ingrid Backstrom, Danny Kass, Todd Richards, Sarah Burke and many others would stop by and check out the shop and hang with customers getting everyone psyched for the upcoming season. Some days you never knew who would stop by! Bob started to make summer trips to Chile in order to check out more new skis and boards - all in the name of product research...

In recent years Fire On The Mountain and Burning Boards has been the proud sponsor of Pink Ribbon Jibbin - our fundraiser for Boarding for Breast Cancer. This event is entering its 6th year and shows no signs of slowing down. In 2005 FOTM was named as one of the 37 best ski shops in the US by SKIING MAGAZINE and Burning Boards was named as the best snowboard shop in New England by the New England Ski Rep association. We also entered the internet age with two websites that connect us with customers all over the world.

As we hit our 20th anniversary in business, it is important to remember how we got here. Our store is a museum of ski, snowboard and rock and roll history. The old posters and pictures -many signed - stay on the wall to remind everyone of our journey. Many of our customers have grown up here and it is cool to see them bring in their families of new skiers and snowboarders. A huge thanks to our staff for all of their dedication and exceptional service over the years - we never would still be in business without them.

And a big THANK YOU to all our customers - you are the best and we will continue to work hard for your business. It's been a great ride and we look forward to providing the best in outdoor gear, clothing and service for many years to come!