Mountain Gear in Spokane, WA, is closing after 37 years in operation. The retailer blamed online competition.
The store and website will close in January. Clearance sales begin Friday, December 27.
The store announced the closure Sunday, saying in a release “online competition hit Mountain Gear hard in recent years,” according to KXLY.com.
Mountain Gear opened at 2002 N. Division in 1983 and launched its mail-order business in 1993 with a printed catalog. Yhe catalog “became known as the encyclopedia of climbing, mountaineering, and backpacking gear and helped build a customer base throughout the U.S. and world,” but the catalog was folded as consumer behavior shifted online.
“It’s easy to find the lowest price and click ‘Buy,’” said Mountain Gear owner Paul Fish in the statement. “That’s great for customers in some ways, but they’re missing out on the outdoors knowledge available at local stores like ours. We made the decision to stay smaller and to focus on the value of personal touch while the trend around us was to consolidate and sell to larger entities.”
An article in The Spokane Review noted that as Mountain Gear’s online sales decelerated, Mountain Gear became a vendor on Amazon toward the end of 2003. But business on Amazon also steadily eroded. Fish said, “They leave less for their vendors each year.”
The report indicated that the Spokane store continued to break even, but the economics did’t work and Fish was resistant to scaling the operation.
“We’re value driven,” he told The Spokane Review. “Not necessarily financially driven. Becoming huge, becoming public never fit with my values.”
Fish also started the Red Rock Rendezvous in 2004, an annual climbing skills and training camp in Las Vegas. Mountain Gear has hosted the Banff Film Festival in Spokane and other cities for more than 30 years.
Mountain Gear employs 36 people. Employees will be able to keep their jobs through January until the last of the retail is sold
A note to consumers on the retailer’s Facebook page read:
“Dear Friends,
“When we opened Mountain Gear in 1983, we had a driving mission: to help people get outdoors in pursuit of adventure. Now, after 37 years, it’s time to pack up. Mountain Gear will be closing our store in Spokane and our online business.
“Our home-grown business owes an enormous thank you to our Spokane area friends, some of whom have been shopping with us since Day 1. Whether you’re a third-generation customer who’s brought in your own kids to shop, or a Mountain Gear newbie, we’re grateful for your support. Like our employees, our customers share a passion for the outdoors, for exploration and adventure. It’s been our privilege to help fuel your passion.
“Now, as we prepare for closure, it’s time to offer you some great deals on gear.
“This coming Friday, December 27 at 9 am, “Thank you, Spokane!” Our Going out of Business Sale will start, with everything in the Retail Store marked 20% to 50% off! In the meantime, keep going outdoors. I hope to be seeing you out there.
“Kindest Regards,
“Paul Fish President, Mountain Gear”
Photo courtesy Mountain Gear
