Water Stone Outdoors

Photos by Trista honaker

This February, Holly and Chris Fussell celebrated their two-year anniversary of buying the iconic Fayetteville-based shop Water Stone Outdoors. The shop has been a mecca of sorts in the New River climbing and hiking community for three decades, and the Fussells have worked diligently on expanding not only the shop’s inventory, but also its footprint, adding a small coffee and brewgarden outback. With the newly minted New River National Park status, visitors to the New River Gorge area have increased dramatically, and Water Stone intends to capitalize on all the new adventure seekers with new emphasis on hiking and other adventure gear, while staying true to the store’s climbing ethos that made it a favorite over the years for climbers from all over the world.

GVQ caught up with Holly Fussell on a sunny April day for a chat in the brew garden about relocating to West Virginia and the future of the New River Gorge area.

GVQ: What brought you and your family to Fayetteville and the New River Gorge Area?

Holly: My husband fell in love with climbing in the 90s, and when we were first married we bought a small house here as a little getaway with his family back in 2004. Growing up as a beach girl in coastal Georgia, I knew nothing about outdoor mountain adventure sports, but over the years I, too, fell in love with what southern West Virginia had to offer. For years, it was our escape from everyday life—both military and civilian careers—and then we were lucky enough to call it home in 2020.

GVQ: What made you want to buy Water Stone and what kind of responsibility do you feel to be shepherding such an iconic store through its new iteration?

Holly: When we moved full-time to the area in 2020, we knew we wanted to invest in the community in some way. I had a little more bandwidth to offer than I had available in our faster-paced lifestyle in DC, and I was looking for a good match for my interests and energy. The opportunity to buy Water Stone Outdoors came up organically through our friendship with Kenny Parker and Maura and Gene Kistler. Their desired retirement timeline and our move to the area coincided in an opportune moment. As anyone familiar with Water Stone Outdoors will attest, the shop holds a special place in the town of Fayetteville, in the climbing community at large and in the hearts of so many. It is no small task to transfer ownership and stewardship of this incredible resource. The Kistlers and Kenny kindled a campfire here in the Gorge and pulled so many in around it. We feel honored to be able to carry on the legacy and add a few more logs onto the fire to keep it going for the next generation.

GVQ: Tell me a little about your staff and Kenny, who is so well known throughout the climbing community, still being part of the scene.

Holly: Our staff is a mix of generational West Virginians and transplant outdoor enthusiasts.  Kenny Parker staying on has been invaluable to the shop’s credibility, sense of continuity, and subject matter expertise. He steadfastly shares knowledge and culture and pulls new people into the lore of climbing and adventure sports in the New River Gorge dating back to the late 1980s.

We’re also really thrilled to be able to tap into homegrown talent as well. Our buyer was born and raised in the Ansted area and is deeply connected to rich layers of this local community. We have hired three local high school students, two of whom are completing internships through the Fayette Institute of Technology. Their energy, fresh eyes, and openness to learning are inspiring for us all.

The other shining stars on our team are outdoor enthusiasts who hail from other areas but who have chosen to call West Virginia home. They bring deep knowledge of the technical aspects of climbing along with a diverse array of life experience. This coupled with their sense of hospitality and inclusivity makes them true ambassadors for outdoor recreation and Fayetteville at large. 

GVQ: What kinds of changes to you and Chris have in store for Waterstone?

Holly: Last year, we added a Brew Garden to the shop to build on the community “hub” identity of Water Stone Outdoors. We are hosting bi-weekly Tap Room Nights where we cover your first beer if you come and hang out. We are working to update our e-commerce and web presence and elevating our marketing strategy to make sure potential customers know about what we offer. We also recently revamped our upstairs floorplan to make it more shoppable and intuitive. We look forward to hosting people in all parts of the shop—for a hiking shoe recommendation or a locally crafted beer or coffee.

GVQ: What kind of increase in traffic is NRG seeing with the “National Park” label?

Holly: We are seeing a significant increase in the number and demographic breadth of visitors to our area. We are seeing older, retiree couples visiting in shoulder seasons and families with children visit during spring breaks and summer. The secret is out, so to speak, but we believe that this can be a positive thing for our community and economy. Our growth has allowed us to expand jobs and local economic impact, and for that we are grateful. 

The prevalence of climbing gyms in urban areas has also augmented the number of visitors who are coming to the area with a previous introduction to the sport of climbing. 

GVQ: Coming from DC, I’m sure it’s quite the lifestyle change...what are some things about living here that you really appreciate?

Holly: I love the small-town vibe. Fayetteville Town Park captures it all. I go there for a baseball game, a walk around the fitness trail or a dip into the woods on the Town Loop Trail, and I end up seeing so many faces and so much joy. Kids are on scooters in the skate park, on bikes on the pump track, and laughing on the playground—all while numerous Little League games take place. It’s simply the best!

In addition to the small-town vibe, the best part of living here is the community. There are genuine people here who will help you take care of your children, help you fix a flat tire and help you when forest fires are threatening your house. We’ve lived through interesting times during our chapters in military service, life in DC, and now living in WV. I’d always want a mountaineer on my team—in good times or bad. 

GVQ: How has the family adapted to owning a retail shop?

Holly: One of the unforeseen benefits of business ownership has been the family’s involvement around the shop. My husband, Chris, jumps in on all kinds of projects and he’s really good at helping people with shoes! Our son, can complete most sales, and our daughter could probably run the whole shop. She makes an incredible cappuccino!

GVQ: what have you guys found yourself doing when you’re not at the store?

Holly: In the winter, we love to ski, although I can’t keep up with my kids anymore  . . . or maybe never could. In the summer, we enjoy evening trips to Summersville Lake or playing in duckies or SUPs on the Upper News with other families.

Interested in visiting Water Stone Outdoors this season? You can find them open every day in downtown Fayetteville from 9 am on, or visit them at their website waterstoneoutdoors.com.