Olympic Gold Medalist Amanda Pelkey Shops At Banana Stand

24/11/2025

When an Olympic Gold Medalist walks through your doors, you remember it! Vermont’s own Amanda Pelkey, a trailblazer, hometown hero, and the only Vermont-born professional hockey player ever to win Olympic Gold, recently stopped by Banana Stand in Burlington, Vermont, for a personal shopping experience. Here’s the story of how our paths crossed, why this visit meant so much, and what Pelkey is up to now.

How Banana Stand Connected with Amanda Pelkey

Pelkey first discovered Banana Stand the same way many Burlington locals do, by exploring downtown and supporting small businesses. After renting a bike from North Star Sports, she wandered into Banana Stand, browsed quietly, and found a few standout pieces she mentally bookmarked for future visits.

At the time, she didn’t introduce herself (which feels very Vermont of her), and staff had no idea an Olympic champion had just been checking out rare vintage finds.

Fast forward a bit. As Banana Stand expanded its online presence, Pelkey became an instant standout: a Vermont icon, an Olympic athlete, and a familiar hometown name. When Banana Stand owner, Mark Miller, saw her profile on Instagram, he recognized her immediately. And how they knew each other went back far longer than the days of social media, specifically to their youth hockey days, where they played against each other year after year. Pelkey always stood out.

"She played on the boys’ teams, skated faster than everyone else on the ice, and had the kind of stick-handling that made opposing teams groan when they saw her coming.“ Miller admits. "She used to kick our butt every season!”

When Pelkey reached out through Instagram asking about a pair of Adidas OG Sambas (sadly, her size was sold out), Miller was shocked. He hadn’t known she’d already been in the store. He messaged her, introduced himself, and shared their childhood hockey connection. Pelkey immediately remembered, and the two had a good laugh about it.

What neither of them knew as kids was that one day Miller would create a clothing brand, running his own store…or that Pelkey would become a world champion and Vermont’s only Olympic Gold Medalist in hockey!

A Vermont Legend: Amanda Pelkey’s Career Highlights

Amanda Pelkey isn’t just a talented athlete. She’s a history-maker.

2x World Champion.
Only Vermont-born hockey player to win Olympic Gold during the 2018 Winter Olympics with the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Joined the ranks of University of Vermont greats like John LeClair (silver medalist, St. Albans) and Martin St. Louis (Canadian-born UVM legend), but stands alone as the only Vermont-born Olympic gold hockey winner!
A role model for young hockey players everywhere. As the founder of AMP Hockey Camps, now entering its 7th year in 2025, Amanda has trained more than 1,500 girls to develop their skills, confidence, and love for hockey.
Amanda Pelkey holds every record as a former UVM Hockey Captain for most assists, points, and goals.
Played professionally for Boston’s PWHL team before officially retiring in 2025. Amanda now works for PWHL Seattle as Senior Advisor to General Manager Meghan Turner ahead of the 2025–26 PWHL season.

Pelkey’s Visit: A Personalized Shopping Experience at Banana Stand

Banana Stand invited Pelkey in for a personal shopping experience at Banana Stand, and it ended up being a memorable visit for everyone. During her visit, Pelkey explored:

Banana Stand's curated racks of rare windbreakers, fresh footwear, and standout Adidas & Nike pieces. Pelkey loves unique styles with personality, and she gravitated toward pieces that blended nostalgia with modern streetwear.

Pelkey browsed recent Banana Stand apparel releases and found herself loving the upcycled Banana Stand x 1990s Made in USA Pendleton. She paired the button up with Banana Stand's new organic box logo beanie in maroon color way releasing this winter.