Kent Outdoors successfully closed on selling Kona Bikes to a group led by the Kona company founders, Dan Gerhard and Jake Heilbron. Kent acquired the bike brand and the Bote brand in early 2022.
Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
“We’re pleased to announce the sale of Kona and to know that Dan and Jake are at the helm to move this well-respected brand forward and continue serving dealers and customers,” said Kent Executive Chairman Lee Belitsky. “The sale of Kona is an important element of Kent’s recent strategic review. It provides us with the ability to focus on and invest in our core growth brands, support key accounts, and develop new outdoor products.”
“Jake and I are thrilled to once again lead and rebuild Kona,” said Gerhard. “We’re well positioned in the market and will continue to offer high-quality bikes with the distinct design and feel that riders expect from Kona.”
Founded in 1959 in New London, OH, Kent Outdoor’s platform of outdoor brands covers a broad product set spanning personal flotation devices, wakeboards, water skis, towable tubes, snowboards, and more. The company’s portfolio of over 15 brands includes Bote, HO/Hyperlite, Connelly, O’Brien, Liquid Force, Onyx, Aquaglide, Barefoot/Fatsac, and Arbor Snowboards (managed by agreement with the Arbor Collective).
Image courtesy Kona Bikes
