With their San Francisco–based company, Kelsey and Mike Sheofsky, both 32, offer corporate retreats that put a high-end spin on wilderness adventures. Servicing weddings, product launches, and other events, the couple provides what it calls “pop-up, luxury camping experiences," mostly in California.
Roomy, elegant tents are fully furnished, and beds are swathed in 400-thread-count sheets. On campgrounds, there’s a “library tent” stocked with books and games, while lounges provide group seating. Staffers can also set up fully stocked bars and beauty stations and plan wine tastings and outdoor movie nights.
The idea started when they were canoeing in California’s Tomales Bay. When Mike asked Kelsey—who spent six years as a wedding and event planner—why more events didn’t take place in the area, she said there were too few lodging options. “A lightbulb went off,” she says. “There was a need for nontraditional accommodations that no one was addressing.”
Top 50 Innovative Event Pros 2013: Kelsey & Mike Sheofsky
The co-founders of Shelter Company are putting an elegant twist on camping.
Photo: Mel Barlow
Photo: Mel Barlow
Photo: Courtesy of Shelter Company