SGB Update Outdoor
Vertikal Brands Acquires Higdon Outdoors
Higdon Outdoors, based in Paducah, KY, announced the recapitalization, in partnership with management, of Higdon Outdoors LLC and Power Calls Company, LLC . Higdon Outdoors will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vertikal Brands, a holding company established by Clearview Capital in partnership with former members of the management team of Battenfeld Technologies.
Recall: Morpher Bike Helmets
About 8,500 units of Morpher flat-folding bicycle helmets are being recalled. According to a statement from the CPSC, the bicycle helmets do not comply with the federal safety standard for bicycle helmets, posing a risk of head injury.
REI To Open Stores In Pigeon Forge, TN And Appleton, WI
REI Co-op will open new stores in Pigeon Forge, TN and Appleton, WI in September. The openings will mark REI’s fifth location in Tennessee and third in Wisconsin.
REI Announces 2020 Grant Partners
REI Co-op announced its 2020 grant partners, an investment that will total more than $6 million and touch more than 400 nonprofit partners this year.
Moots Rolls Out Demo Center Program
Moots announced the introduction of its new Demo Center customer test ride program. The program is intended to give cyclists the opportunity to test ride a bike of their choosing to be sure that the model and size they’ve selected is the right bike for them.
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Partners With NuOrder
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the national organization for independent specialty retailers, will partner with NuOrder to utilizing its collaborative digital buying platform to help the retail buying process.
SIA Launches Six-Month Inclusion Training Program
Snowsports Industries America (SIA) announced that it will begin a six-month training program focused on inclusion in the winter outdoor industry. SIA will be joined by leaders from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), National Ski Patrol (NSP), Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI), and Share Winter Foundation.
Bass Pro Memphis Pyramid To Open Wahlburgers Wild Restaurant
Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in Memphis, TN, will add a Walburgers restaurant concept, unique to Bass Pro Shops. The new concept, called “Wahlburgers Wild,” will be the first of its kind from the Wahlburgers chain of restaurants.
Black Diamond Expands Retail Footprint To Park City
Black Diamond Equipment (BD), a manufacturer of climbing, skiing and mountain sports equipment, announced plans to expand its retail footprint to Park City, UT and will host a series of in-store events on September 5-6.
Higg Co Appoints VP Global Partnerships
Higg Co, the technology company behind the Higg Index platform, has appointed ex-Microsoft executive, Josh Henretig, as the company’s new vice president of global partnerships.
American Outdoor Brands Completes Spin-Off From Smith & Wesson
American Outdoor Brands Inc. announced that its spin-off from Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. was completed on Monday, August 24, 2020, and American Outdoor Brands, Inc. is now an independent, publicly-traded company on the NASDAQ stock market under the symbol “AOUT.”
Blackbird Products Adds To Management Team
Blackbird Products Group, LLC, makers of the Mammoth brand of premium rotomolded coolers, drinkware, and accessories as well as a growing PPE line of products, announced some key additions to its management team.
Wild Things Gear Sold To National Safety Apparel
Wild Things, the technical outdoor apparel and gear for the military and law enforcement, to National Safety Apparel, Inc. (NSA), the parent of DriFire.
NSSF: First-Time Gun Buyers Grow To Nearly 5 Million In 2020
NSSF, the trade association for the firearm industry, updated retail survey-based estimates and concluded that nearly 5 million Americans purchased a firearm for the very first time in 2020. NSSF surveyed firearm retailers which reported that 40 percent of sales were conducted to purchasers who have never previously owned a firearm.
Vista Outdoor’s Debt Ratings Upgraded
S&P raised its debt ratings on Vista Outdoor Inc. primarily due to stronger-than-expected sales for ammunition resulting from increased demand for personal protection equipment amid a politically uncertain environment and civil unrest, along with heightened demand for recreation and hunting.
