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The best of the best
A Grassroots Outdoor Alliance award is a very big deal. The group, which is a consortium of 64 independent outdoor specialty retailers and 68 vendor partners, represents the best of specialty retail. The awards, which will be given out on June 13, 2018 on night one of the ...read more
Reusable straws that fold up like tentpoles
Ride the elevator with Miles Pepper, founder of FinalStraw.Did you know that Americans use 500 million single-use plastic straws every day—enough to wrap around Earth 2.5 times? Many of these straws end up in our oceans and landfills. FinalStraw is working to change that with the ...read more
"Change the world...take a vacation."
There is such thing as overtourism and it's leaving countries in worse shape than before tourists invaded.Adventure Travel Trade Association President Shannon Stowell starts off his TEDx Talk grim, with stories that challenge the common assumption that mass tourism generates ...read more
What's your Amazon strategy?
Successfully producing outdoor gear used to be such a simple endeavor: Make great product, then sell it through retail partners, or directly through a catalog or your own store. These days, the formula has become a lot more complicated. With the option to distribute through a ...read more
Since 1984, SNEWS has been the outdoor industry’s most trusted source for trade news, company and retailer profiles, outdoor politics and issues, gear trends, and important interviews with power players.
Catch up on all the stories that are making news in the outdoor industry
Opinion | Outdoor retail shops should hire more parents
Before Amy Kleissler was hired in June of 2014, she had been a loyal customer for years. She noticed a call for interested applicants at the bottom of a TB&C newsletter. With her four boys coming home from school for the summer she said,”I had to get out of the house and thought ...read more
Back to life: Onion River Outdoors gets a second chance
At the end of last year, the community of Montpelier, Vermont, was crushed when Onion River Sports turned off the lights after 44 years in business. But behind the walls, something was cooking. Former manager Kip Roberts and his wife, Jen, were in talks about owning a bike shop ...read more
Hundreds gather in Bay Area to celebrate Ann Krcik
It was a memorial service that "felt like a philosophy lesson on how to live a good life." That's how Stacy Bare described the Monday gathering of hundreds of friends and family members of Ann Krcik, a beloved member of our community who passed away on February 26, 2018, after a ...read more
Black Diamond's parent company doubles down on Utah
Black Diamond Equipment’s parent company is expanding in Utah over the next decade, adding high-paying jobs and nearly $50 million in value, according to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).Needless to say, the growth of Clarus Corporation bodes well for Utah in ...read more
Poll | Should retail shop employees wear name tags?
Sometimes customers walk in and out of a specialty store with exactly what they need. But other times, customers require a special level of customer service and care from an employee to seek the right fit or product for their next outdoor endeavor. That's when our question comes ...read more
Industry Buzz: Access Fund petition, Camber, solar panels, Yellowstone-Teton park pass, Darn Tough, and more.
Don't go a day without reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines:Have a news tip? We've created a new form where you can submit tips and story ideas. We'll be checking it often to ensure we don't miss anything.Camber Outdoors announced its complete agenda for Outdoor ...read more
Hi-Tec branches out into apparel and accessories
For the first time, footwear brand Hi-Tec is joining the crowded crossover apparel realm with the launch of a new line of hoodies, pants, beanies, and other pieces aimed at people who want their garb to transition from trail to office. “Hi-Tec’s® expansion into apparel and ...read more
Colorado university introduces outdoor industry degree
Western State Colorado University joins a handful of other colleges recognizing students’ desire to get a degree that’s useful in the outdoor industry, which generates an estimated $887 billion annually.The university in Gunnison, Colorado, is offering a new two-year, online MBA ...read more
Rockport files for bankruptcy ahead of acquisition
Rockport today announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to be acquired by CB Marathon Opco, LLC an affiliate of Charlesbank Equity Fund IX.In a statement, Rockport said the “asset purchase agreement” will enable the company to focus on global ...read more
Industry Buzz: Climb The Hill, Black Diamond party, grizzly bears, REI Outdoor School, a podcast suggestion, and more.
Don't go a day without reading Industry Buzz or you might miss something. Here are today's top headlines:#ClimbTheHill: The American Alpine Club (AAC) and Access Fund teamed up this week in Washington D.C. for the third annual campaign to meet with law makers and advocate for ...read more
Show the outdoor industry your mad photography skills
Hey SNEWS readers and photographers: We’re looking for a fresh Facebook and Twitter cover photo that best represents summertime and inspires us to be adventurous. Do you want to show the outdoor community your mad photo skills? Here's your chance.Editor-in-chief Kristin Hostetter ...read more
Ode to badass moms
Just in time for Mother's Day, a new creative agency has released a video celebrating moms who crush and inspire their kids to do the same. This 2-minute happy tears-jerking video is the first by Home Team Creative—founded by photographer and videographer Alton Richardson and ...read more