Sierra Trading Post has hired Brent Layton as its director of retail operations with a plan to open several retail outlet stores in the U.S. Most recently, Layton served as the district manager for Sears Holdings,
Co. in the Denver area. He also has considerable experience managing
retail operations and the expansion of store footprints for Sears as
well as Dick's Sporting Goods.

Sierra Trading Post noted that Layton has opened more than 20 stores in his
career including a 130,000 sq.ft. Dick's store in Portland, Ore.

“Although we are a Top 100 Internet retailer, we recognize that 90 percent of consumer sales in the U.S. are handled by brick-and-mortar stores,” said Gary Imig, president of Sierra Trading Post. “To build a community of brand enthusiasts and to gain new shoppers and retain existing customers, we plan to expand our retail presence, and Brent Layton is an important component of that plan.”

“It is an exciting time for Sierra Trading Post as we prepare to leverage our brands through the expansion of retail locations,” Layton said. “We believe we can learn from our successes in the online arena to build thriving brick-and-mortar retail sites.”

Sierra Trading Post currently operates four retail outlet stores in Boise, ID, Reno, NV, and Cheyenne and Cody, WY. Prompted by an expansion into the sporting goods category in 2011, the company relocated the Reno store to a larger, brand-new building at 6139 B S. Virginia St., next to Whole Foods and Pier 1 Imports. The store design will serve as the blueprint for future stores in the Sierra Trading Post chain.

The first store of the planned expansion will open in Q4 of this year.