Bridges Classical Imports

Bridges' Classical Imports
Westminster, CO
303-464-0147

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About Us

Browsing in a Boulder, Colorado running store in the spring of 1995, I came across an flyer regarding tours to Athens, Greece for the marathon that fall. As I held the flyer in my hand I knew I was going, period. As I made my inquires about the trip, I discovered the tour promoter was located in Denver and lived only a few blocks from my childhood home. My friendship with Paul Samaras began.

I went on the 11 day tour in 1995. It was memorable for three main reasons. First, was the marathon itself. The run, the scenery, the history all came to an emotional climax when I entered the Panathenian Stadium with the Acropolis off to the right in the background. Second was the tour; it was one of the highlights of my life. Finally, on the trip were several race management people, Runners' World staff members , Bart Yasso , Jeff Galloway as well as Jeffs wife Barb.

I returned, with Apostolos Greek Tours and Paul Samaras in 1996 and 1997, to Greece and the Athens Marathon. Flying back to the US, over the Swiss Alps, I had an urgent desire to come up with some plan that could aid me in returning to Greece more often. The idea of an import business was born.

Paul Samaras' help was critical to getting the connections I needed to begin "Bridges' Classical Imports". After few months my brother, Tom, suggested he could build a web-site for the business. He did so.

Paul and I developed a business relationship. I would travel to several of the major marathon expos and promote the tours to Greece for the Athens Marathon. While I was there I could also sell my statues and coincidently run that marathon. Shortly after we began this relationship Paul was in need of a new web-master for the Athens Marathon. When Paul looked at the site Tom had built for me, he hired to be the web-master for Apostolos Greek Tours.

The Robert Frost's poem about two roads diverging in a wood and taking one less traveled by certainly has a profound ring for me when I think back to that day when I first picked up a flyer about the Athens Marathon. I hope you seriously consider running the "original marathon" and enjoy our site and our links.

Sincerely,
John Bridges