Nantahala Outdoor Center, already known as one of the nations premier whitewater outfitters, will open NOCs Great Outpost in Gatlinburg, TN this weekend. The $4 million project, NOC’s largest investment in retail by far, intends to increase participation in the outdoors among the 14 million who visit the city every year, including 11 million who never venture into the citys strip of T-shirt shops, restaurants, a Ripleys Believe It or Not Museum or the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park.


NOC’s Great Outpost occupies an anchor position in Gatlinburg’s downtown strip on the northern gateway to the park. The company has applied to have the former 425-seat restaurant certified as LEED compliant with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). That would make it the first LEED certified store in either Gatlinburg or Sevier County. “A downturn is a terrible thing to waste,” comments NOC’s 31-year-old CEO Sutton Bacon. “This project exemplifies our company’s determination to adapt and innovate through the recession. We are creating new product offerings and refining operational infrastructure to gain strategic advantage in our marketplace.”

 

NOC is already visited by more than 500,000 guests annually, but has traditionally drawn the bulk of its business from the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. The Gatlinburg store will provide a platform to market its trips and the outdoor lifestyle to tourists from the Ohio River Valley.

 

NOC’s Great Outpost will include an outdoor concierge service where tourists can receive guidance to plan their own adventures in the park, including whitewater rafting, kayaking, guided fishing, and hiking and nature tours offered by NOC. Interactive features on the region’s rich natural history connect guests not only with their mountain surroundings, but also with outdoor volunteer clubs and conservation groups that protect the Smokies. The Great Outpost also houses a 25-foot climbing wall, a swinging rope bridge and a bear den play area for kids. The store will sell outdoor apparel and gear from The North Face, Columbia, Teva and more alongside the largest selection of souvenirs in town.