Horny Toad and Kuhl were each named the 2014 Vendor of the Year by Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) at its annual show in Colorado, marking the first time the retailer association has split the award among two companies.
“What a tremendous honor to be recognized as the best by the best outdoor specialty retailer group in the country,” states Gordon Seabury, CEO for Horny Toad, which is based in Santa Barbara, CA. “This award symbolizes meaningful progress towards our mission to be the go to partner for outdoor retailers in the 21st century and this next generation of our industry’s historic evolution.
“It was also very fitting to share the stage with our friends at Kuhl who have worked alongside us tirelessly over the last nearly 20 years to build the modern outdoor lifestyle category as independent companies with a long term vision. We shared a laugh together afterwards that our time has finally come after so many years of hard work, dedication and perseverance. Without the support of these great retailers, including this year’s Retailer of the Year Rock Creek Outfitters, we would not be here to enjoy the moment!”
GOA is a group of independent outdoor retailers organized to serve the needs of its members operating over 100 independent specialty outdoor stores throughout North America. The Vendor of the Year award is conducted by surveying all GOA members and asking that they vote on a single vendor that embodies the best partner to their business. Categories considered by retailers include: service, support, reliability, and overall partnership.
“Horny Toad epitomizes what it means to be a best vendor. They consistently demonstrate they are the most dedicated industry partner to specialty outdoor retailers, bar none,” said GOA President Roanne Miller.
