Black Creek Outfitters, the specialty outdoor retail for nearly 40 years, announced it is closing its store in conjunction with the sale of its lakeside retail property.
“Our family is incredibly thankful to our staff, our customers and the entire North Florida community for their support the past 38 years,” said Joe Butler, III, owner and operator of Black Creek Outfitters. “We chose to sell the building and property last September but were unable to find a new spot in Jacksonville that would allow us to continue with the same level of service we have provided for the past 25 years.”
Black Creek Outfitters was founded in 1983 as Windsurfing Orange Park by Helen and Joe Butler, Jr. The store also tapped into skateboarding trends and rollerblading, and the store’s connection with the local community cemented its presence in the community.
“My parents always believed that if you treat people the way you want to be treated, things will go right. Between my father’s business acumen and my mom’s emotional intellect, Black Creek was able to go from just riding each trend to becoming a true Florida outdoor store,” said Butler.
Black Creek Outfitters was an add-on storefront to the family’s board shop. The business rebranded as Black Creek Outfitters following the purchase of the lakeside location in 1996.
“Moving to a location on a 22-acre lake allowed our staff to educate our community about the Florida outdoor lifestyle. Nothing matches the ability of an on-water experience to connect consumers to a product, and over the years, we’ve put thousands of people out on Skinner Lake to demo kayaks, paddleboards and foilboards,” said Butler. “Fortune smiled on our family when we were able to purchase this place, and it smiled on us again with this opportunity to sell right now. The experiences and connections we have made with our staff, customers and industry colleagues over the past 39 years are special.”
