Outdoor Retailers

Sometimes people will blow you away with kindness…if you just let them. The coronavirus crisis has had a crippling effect on so many retailers and small business owners and made them realize how vulnerable their businesses are unthinkably unexpected forces. Brendan Madigan, owner ...read more

Dear friends and colleagues, As we enter an uncertain period for our families, businesses, and country, I first want to express concern for your safety and health. There’s nothing more important at the moment, and while we go forward with our mission to inform, educate, and ...read more

During these moments of uncertainty, one thing is for sure: Employees at evo are generous with their time. The outdoor retailer on Sunday invited its top 25 executives, managers, and other leaders to donate vacation days to be re-allocated as hourly pay for team members unable to ...read more

As the country quickly shuts down in an unprecedented way, many big outdoor retailers like Patagonia, all VF brands, and REI are following suit. Most retailers who operate an online business, as well as brands that operate direct-to-consumer, are still selling product and ...read more

VF Corp. is the latest big retailer to announce temporary closures due to coronavirus. Steve Rendle, VF chairman, president, and CEO announced in a press release that all VF retail locations—including The North Face, Icebreaker, Smartwool, and Timberland—will shutter through at ...read more

Eric Artz, president and CEO of REI posted a letter Sunday announcing the temporary closure of all 162 REI retail locations amid the coronavirus outbreak. "I believe that is the right thing for our community. In fact, I believe it is our duty—to do all we can to help keep one ...read more

As a nonbinary customer wanders through aisles of backpacks, hiking boots, tents, and camping supplies in an outdoor gear shop, they come to the racks of gendered clothing: men’s in one corner, women’s in another. But what happens if this particular customer doesn’t identify as ...read more

Evo’s story starts like many outdoor endeavors: Bryce Phillips as a college student was slinging ski gear out of his apartments in Seattle and Whistler in the ‘90s and launched the website evogear.com in 2001. The former professional skier’s startup business merged outdoor, ...read more

The people have spoken. One month ago, we asked you to vote on the coolest retail shop in the nation from our list of 15 standouts featured in last year’s #CoolShop column. We received more than 42,000 votes—the largest poll participation in SNEWS history—and the results are in. ...read more

Black Friday was a success for Salida Mountain Sports, but not because they lured customers in with steep discounts. Prices stayed steady, and if the Colorado store missed some sales because they weren’t discounting, store owner Nate Porter said so be it. Small specialty outdoor ...read more

In 2019, we shone the spotlight on 12 standout specialty outdoor stores across the country in our #CoolShops column. From matching prices online to offering free drinking water to preserving their town's history, these shops are seriously killing it at retail. And through our ...read more

Mountain Gear, one of our industry’s premier mountain shops, will be closing its doors in the coming months. The decision to close weighs heavily on founder and owner, Paul Fish, who said that the realization that it was time was both came somewhat sudden but also a long time ...read more

For anyone climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains in New York, stopping at Rock and Snow in New Paltz isn't an option—it's mandatory. As one of the oldest specialty climbing gear shops in the country, only minutes from The Gunks, it's an important piece of climbing history. The ...read more

When he's not spending time in his stores, you can find Half-Moon Outfitters Owner Beezer Molten at his newly-finished, off-grid tiny house with family and friends. Actually, you probably can't find him even if you tried because his cabin is tucked deep in the jungle-like woods ...read more

Almost every adventure starts with a backpack, making it one of the key categories in any retail shop. And selling packs successfully (and responsibly) requires deep technical knowledge of features, fitting, and use. Our free online course will help any sales associate—seasoned ...read more

In the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, outdoor lovers take refuge in a naturally-lit, well-curated gear store, Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co., stocking only the most fashionable and functional products. KEEN, Mystery Ranch, Mammut, and Fjällräven blend tastefully ...read more

Since sharing the news of Adventure 16's closing, SNEWS has received dozens of messages from former employees, longtime customers, and admirers in the outdoor industry. It's clear that A16 had a wide reach and touched so many lives during its nearly six decades in business. It's ...read more

Every day is an adventure for Brittney and Jonathan Meier, who opened Wanderlust Outfitters in September 2016 in St. Joseph, Michigan. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, they're surrounded by forests, streams, and other natural wonders, perfect for outdoor ...read more

Just yesterday, John Mead told about 35 employees across two remaining stores that Adventure 16 is closing altogether before the end of the year. The business is perhaps one of the best known premier specialty outdoor retailers, with a rich history dating back to 1962 in ...read more

Compared side by side, Winter Park and Buena Vista are pretty similar. They're both mountain towns in Colorado located next to glorious natural resources, and they both have small populations and tight-knit communities. But Dave Blazer is excited to learn the nuances between the ...read more

Buying is an art and a science. Your buy defines your shop’s essence: the brands and products your choose reflect the culture of your store. The underlying principle is to keep your store fresh and fun for all of your different types of customers. Shops structure their buying ...read more

Celebrating 45 years in business, Skinny Skis is a Jackson Hole institution. It first specialized in Nordic and cross-country skis, but has since expanded to serve runners, mountaineers, and other high-endurance and high-performance athletes living in and visiting the resort ...read more

Half-Moon Outfitters breathed new life into a 15,000-square-foot auto parts building by relocating its Greenville store and inviting three other businesses to share the space. The location is now home to one of eight Half-Moon stores along with Grace Coffee Company, Circa ...read more

In 2009, Jahmicah Dawes and his college friend embarked on a road trip from their home in Texas to California in a 1986 Datsun truck. His friend's only rule was that they couldn't stay in hotels. Dawes thought he meant they'd be staying at friends' houses—not camping. Sleeping ...read more