Darren Bush, Owner
Darren was hired in 1990 as a part-timer on weekends. It was a way to feed his habit. He loved paddling and was working a job that was pretty boring and had him chained to a desk. He transitioned to manager at Rutabaga in 1993. He became an owner in 2002 and has been sole owner since 2007.
Darren's role at Canoecopia is to keep out of the way so the staff can do their jobs. All he has to do is shake customer's hands, hug our manufacturers or vice versa. So far, Darren has worked 24 Canoecopias. This next one is his 25th. His favorite part about Canoecopia is seeing people who are getting into paddling for the first time. Their excitement is like a drug. When he sees a happy person holding a paddle and gazing lovingly at a boat, he feels totally ecstatic.
When Darren isn’t at Rutabaga, he loves to go paddling, of course, but he also enjoys working with his hands. He likes to make traditional gear, including snowshoes.
When asked if Darren could go paddling with anyone, past or present, he said “This is a hard one. Lots of people, really, but I think I'd like to paddle with Aldo Leopold or John Muir. My alternate would be Stewart Udall.”
