Blacktusk Outdoors Acquires Lucky Strike Bait Works
Toronto-based Blacktusk Outdoors has acquired the Lucky Strike fishing lure brand. Plans are underway to reinvest Lucky Strike in product design, expand into new categories, and increase reach across North American and international markets.
Converse Appoints New CEO
Aaron Cain, a 21-year company veteran, was named the new CEO of Converse. He replaces Jared Carver, who is stepping down after serving as CEO for two years.
MeatEater to Open Store in Wisconsin
MeatEater, the hunt & fish specialty store, announced plans to open a store at The Corners of Brookfield in Wisconsin, representing its second store. MeatEater’s flagship store opened in April 2024 near its headquarters in downtown Bozeman, MT.
Costco’s June Comps Grow 6.2 Percent x-Gas; E-Commerce Up 11.2 Percent
Excluding gas, Costco’s same-store sales in the U.S. were up 5.5 percent in the U.S. and 6.2 percent overall. U.S. sales were up 7.4 percent year-to-date.
FDRA Urges Trump Administration to Halt New Tariffs on Footwear Ahead of BTS Selling
On Wednesday, July 9, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America sent a letter to the Trump Administration requesting that it not impose additional footwear tariffs on top of the existing ones ahead of the critical back-to-school selling season.
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The Picklr Names Chief Operating Officer
Abby Olson previously served as VP of Field Operations and VP of Training at Crumbl, where she helped scale the company from fewer than 10 locations to over 1,100 across two countries.
Imperial Appoints National Sales Manager, Golf
Andrew Blatnik joins industry veteran John Anderson, VP of Sales for Golf, in his new role. Currently he serves as the VP of Peter Millar licensing for Imperial.
Dr. Martens Seeing Positive Growth In Americas DTC Channel
Dr. Martens issued a trading update ahead of its annual meeting, indicating that sales are progressing as expected with positive growth in its direct-to-consumer business in the Americas region and strength in the APAC region helping offset some weakness in Europe.
Deloitte Sees Flat Back-To-School Spending
Deloitte’s 18th Annual Back-to-School Survey finds that spending for K-12 students will remain flat at $30.9 billion this year. Parents surveyed expect to spend $570 per student in grades K-12, down just $16 year-over-year. Overall, parents will spend on essentials, trading down on brands and retailers, and spreading out purchases over time.
Epic Baits Fishing Hires National Sales Manager
Based in Odessa, TX, Bryan Head has been hired as the company’s new national sales manager, overseeing all sales strategy, including dealer development, key account management and national sales growth.
Lazydays Holdings Removes “Interim” from CEO’s Title, Implements Reverse Stock Split
Ron Fleming becomes the company’s CEO after serving in the role on an interim basis since September 2024. The company’s primary intention for the reverse stock split is to increase the per-share market price of its common stock, seeking to regain Nasdaq market compliance.
Report: Bain Capital Mulls Selling Canada Goose Stake
Discussions remain in the early stages, and there is no guarantee that a transaction will take place, the sources added. Other shareholders may also consider participating in a deal.
REI Sets Grand Opening for Store in Elk Grove
REI Co-op set plans to host a grand opening of its new store in Elk Grove, CA which is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area in Northern California.
The Buckle’s June Sales Climb
The Buckle, Inc. reported that comparable store net sales increased 3.8 percent in June. Net sales grew 4.7 percent to $106.5 million from net sales of $101.7 million a year prior.
Pentland Returns Ellesse to U.S. in New Licensing Deal
The exclusive, long-term licensing partnership will see The Iconic Brand Corporation design, develop, produce, and market Ellesse apparel and accessories in the U.S. in collaboration with Ellesse’s London team. The first collection will launch in Spring 2026.
