Outdoor Retailers

The acquisition of Rock/Creek Outfitters for a second time in two years will bring the outdoor specialty shop closer to its community roots, President Chad Wykle said Friday. Gearhead Outfitters, a privately-held retailer in Arkansas, announced on Thursday the acquisition of ...read more

Projects on Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and other crowdfunding sites will come to life next month in a new startup showcase in Boulder's Neptune Mountaineering. The NeptuneLAB is the latest experiential concept for the iconic gear shop. Owners Shelley and Andrew Dunbar collaborated ...read more

After rumblings of an uncertain future, Denali announced last Tuesday that its closing all seven locations. A "going out of business" sale at the Old Saybrook location signals the store's end. More than 25 years ago, the first store opened as Trailblazer in New Haven and grew to ...read more

The first time Dan Epstein visited his wife's family's outdoor store, Champaign Surplus, he left daydreaming about leaving his corporate finance job and one day wearing his favorite gear to work. The store was originally an appliance and surplus shop, opened in 1947 by Shira ...read more

In early May, a sign on Ascent Outdoors' main door suddenly marked the end of an era. "We will miss you," the sign read. For more than 20 years, the shop in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood was a meeting spot for the outdoor scene, and its shuttering was devastating and shocking to ...read more

Uncommon Path is REI's new print magazine, publishing for the first time this fall. Stories will range from gear reviews to full feature stories, curated by the same editorial team that produces the Co-op Journal and created with HearstMedia. “Uncommon Path tells the stories of ...read more

President Rich Hill kicked off the evening by explaining the Grassroots History Project, which was started a few years back to trace the arc of the group’s growth as a powerful collaboration of retailers and brands. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with members—both from ...read more

Located on the shores of its namesake lake, Whitefish, Montana, is known for its dramatic outdoor vistas. But in the charming resort town, The Toggery has become its own kind of destination. Originally opened as Frank’s Shirt Shop in 1947 by Frank and Jessie Stephens, the store ...read more

It's summer break and a family of four with two teenage kids is driving to Yellowstone National Park. Noticing they need gas and knowing they need to stock up on a few camping essentials, the driver seat suggests that one of the kids find a good gear shop nearby. An ad for the ...read more

Connecticut-based Denali has begun a restructuring process that will continue over the next few months, according to outdoor industry insiders. It is unclear so far whether the outdoor specialty retailer will close stores. However, the Wakefield location is permanently closed, ...read more

Last year a Congressional report confirmed what many within the outdoor industry already knew: climate change will transform the way we do business. The report projected that unless serious action is taken to curb global warming, the U.S. economy could shrink by nearly 10 percent ...read more

Less than a year after Seattle's Ascent Outdoors opened a second location and not even a month after celebrating its 23rd anniversary, the business has unexpectedly shuttered all three of its doors.  The business has not made any official announcements about the closure, other ...read more

For every square foot of Gearheads Outdoor Store, there's dozens more SKUs of gear. Snowshoes, backpacks, and sleeping pads hang from the ceiling. Camp mugs, footwear, and do-dads decorate the walls. What might be classified as a neat-freak's nightmare is what Gearheads is best ...read more

Today Grassroots Outdoor Alliance announced the roster of finalists for its 2019 awards, which celebrate the very best in specialty outdoor retail. The winners will be crowned at the group’s Connect buying show on Saturday, June 8, 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Awards are given ...read more

When a climber, a whitewater paddler, an insurance guy, and a guy with a little bit of money got together in 1975, they started High Country Outfitters along the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, Georgia. As the only outdoor shop in the area at the time, business boomed and ...read more

When you walk into most outdoor retailer shops, you see men’s and women’s sportswear sections, men’s and women’s footwear walls, pack walls divided by gender and men’s and women’s accessories. As a cis woman, (a person whose gender identity consistently matches the gender they ...read more

At the end of any given trade show, outdoor retailers are left with stacks and stacks of paper catalogues from various brands. They have to make the choice to either ship them home to their store, pack them in their luggage, or toss them out.  "The carbon footprint gets to be ...read more

Water lapping and boats bumping against the docks. The sun's reflection shimmering and dancing across the water. The smell of warm plastic kayaks and seafood. Located in the idyllic fishing village of Wickford in the ocean state, kayaking isn't just a hobby—it's a lifestyle. ...read more

After one year in business, KAMP is sadly shuttering its doors on March 31. The boutique outdoor retailer opened in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 7, 2018 with the goal of introducing more people to the outdoors through unique and inclusive community-based experiences. They also ...read more

REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke is resigning on March 15 after he and the Board of Directors agreed that his relationship with another leader in the outdoor industry is a perceived conflict of interest. Rob Discher, director of communications and public affairs, had "no ...read more

Our Outdoor Specialty Retail Store Directory (available for purchase and download below) is truly specialty outdoor retail. We created a list that embodied specialty outdoor retailers—those selling at least the core outdoor products of backpacks, tents and sleeping bags. Apparel- ...read more

From electronics to apparel, dog food to toilet paper, consumers are turning to e-commerce avenues for their convenience and speed. And with product reviews at their fingertips, price comparison capabilities just a click away and two-day shipping that’s often free, why wouldn’t ...read more

Since the inception of our #CoolShops column in March 2017, SNEWS has sought out innovative, authentic, and standout specialty outdoor stores across the country. As of this month, we’ve featured nearly 50 retailers, each with something to share on doing retail right. Every day, ...read more

When Jill Shuman started pitching retailers her natural blister prevention product, eNZees Foot Soother, in 2016, Backcountry Experience was her first stop. Having built his business on expert bootfitting, Ben Rockis, the store's owner, was immediately all in.  "She looked at me ...read more