Backwoods, which entered into bankruptcy proceedings last November, has been sold to Backwoods 2.0, LLC, a holding company led by Kevin McConnell, who has become the president of Backwoods 2.0.
Jennifer Mull, previous CEO of Backwoods Retail, Inc. has agreed to a consulting arrangement with the new company.
According to a press release, McConnell will be overseeing all operations of the company effective immediately. He is also the chief marketing officer for Gunn&Hook, an online booking platform for hunters and fishermen based in Austin.
The purchase was for the assets of Backwoods Retail, Backwoods Adventures and Backwoods Intellectual Property.
Mull said: “I am very happy that Backwoods Retail and Backwoods Adventures will continue forward and have the opportunity to grow into an innovative and successful omni-channel retailer. Kevin and his investors will inject their knowledge, excitement and expertise into the company and I look forward to watching the evolution. I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure at Backwoods, am honored to have worked alongside the staff, and am very fortunate to have been involved with the outdoor industry community for the past 15 years. I look forward to working with Kevin and his team.”
McConnell said, “We’re very happy to have been the successful bidder for Backwoods Retail, Inc. and Backwoods Adventures. We believe in the company, are proud of its history and look forward to executing a new omni-channel vision for the company that is critical to thrive in today’s challenging retail market. The headquarters will remain in Austin, Texas and all employees will be retained at HQ and in the remaining locations.”
Backwoods continues to operate five stores in Fort Worth, TX; Omaha, NE; Oklahoma City, OK; Tulsa, OK; and Wichita, KS. It has closed four stores since its bankruptcy filing and in mid-February sold theNeptune Mountaineering location in Boulder, CO to Shelley and Andrew Dunbar.
In mid-February, Backwoods, which entered into bankruptcy proceedings last November, has sold Boulder’s Neptune Mountaineering to Shelley and Andrew Dunbar, who own the North American distribution company for Australian gear manufacturer Sea to Summit. Among the closings have been Backwoods stores in Norman, OK and Bentonville, AR; and a Dynamic Earth in Springfield, MO.
Backwoods was founded in 1973, in Wichita, KS and currently has its headquarters in Austin, TX. The company also operates Backwoods Adventures, an adventure travel company, with trips offered on all seven continents and specializing in trekking, hiking, multi-sport and fly-fishing adventures.
Photo courtesy Backwoods
