SGB Update Outdoor
REI to Close Again on Black Friday, Encourage ‘Nature Therapy’
REI Co-op will again close all stores, distribution centers, activity centers, call centers, and headquarters on Thanksgiving and Black Friday Outdoor and pay its employees to spend the day outside.
GSM Outdoors Acquisition by Platinum Equity is Finalized
GSM Outdoors, headquartered in Irving, TX, owns over 50 outdoor brands. Previous owner Gridiron Capital acquired GSM in 2020. CEO Eddie Castro will continue to lead the company.
Dick’s SG to Hire Fewer Seasonal Workers This Year
The retailer plans to hire nearly 8,000 seasonal workers for this year’s holiday season, a step back from the 8,600 planned hires in 2023. A steady decline in employee turnover since 2021 led DKS to a decrease in the number of seasonal workers this year.
DOD Outdoors Hires Two Indie Outdoor Industry Sales Groups
Japan-based camping brand DOD Outdoors has engaged Clear Creek Reps and White Fish Trading Company as its new sales reps covering the Rockies and Midwest regions.
Elevate Outdoor Collective Promotes Josee Larocque to CEO
The parent company of the K2, Marker, Dalbello, Völkl, Ride, Line, Backcountry Access, Atlas Snow Shoe, Tubbs Snowshoes, and Madshus brands said COO Larocque replaces CEO John Colonna, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests.
Report: Holiday Shopping Intentions Driven by Consumer Optimism, Quest for Value
This year’s household food and grocery costs will impact holiday shopping for 62 percent of consumers, but more holiday shoppers, 57 percent, feel positive about personal finances than in 2023.
Vail Mountain and Town of Vail to Develop Fourth Base Village
The Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, and East West Partners have inked a partnership to develop the West Lionshead area into a fourth base village at Vail Mountain.
Amazon Plans to Hire 250,000 Holiday Workers, Same As Last Year
Amazon aims to add 250,000 U.S. seasonal employees during the 2024 holiday season, matching its target number from 2023.
GSM Outdoors Acquires Roboworm
Roboworm has produced hundreds of millions of bass worms. “When you think of impactful soft plastic brands in the bass fishing space, you can’t have the conversation without talking about Roboworm.” —Crispin Powley, SVP of fishing, GSM
SIA: U.S. Snow Sports Participation Surpasses 30M
SIA’s annual study highlights key trends and insights from the past season and a comprehensive view of the health and growth of the snowsports industry.
PrimaLoft Beefs Up Product Team
PrimaLoft, Inc. appointed Chris Gallo as senior vice president of product strategy and Andrea Paulson as senior vice president of innovation and technology. Gallo was most recently at Nobull while Paulson was at Saucony.
Firedisc Cookers Adds New Indie Sales Agency
The maker of portable cooking solutions hired Alexander-Townsend as its sales representative partner.
EVent Fabrics Announces New Hires
EVent Fabrics announced the hiring of Bartosz Lassak as senior sales manager for the Eastern U.S. region, Xie Yi as textile engineer and Terry Kim as senior consultant in Korea.
Nordstrom Rack to Open New Store in Massachusetts
The 25,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack will open in the fall of 2025 in the The Landing at Hyannis. Nordstrom operates seven Nordstrom Rack stores in Massachusetts, generating over 900 jobs statewide.
DMR Bikes Hires North America Sales and Marketing Manager
Mike Flaherty will support the bike maker’s two North American distributors, BTi and QBP, along with LTP in Canada and a growing network of dealers stocking DMR Bikes products.
