Sporting items and outside tools retailers have struggled lately.
You’ll be able to blame the web, the economic system, and drops in shopper spending, however lots of the corporations which have shuttered shops and even closed for good did so resulting from a mixture of the three.
For chains like Bob’s Shops, a New England-area staple for many years, the Covid pandemic was the ultimate nail in its coffin. The chain merely by no means made up for the gross sales it misplaced throughout the lockdown interval as its gross sales channels had been extra in-store than on-line, and most of its shops had been closed for months throughout the lockdown interval.
The checklist of outdoor-focused shops which have shut down areas or closed outright is an extended one, and a significant identify has been added to the checklist.
Out of doors and sporting items retailers closing shops
- Orvis: Confirmed plans to close down 31 full-price shops and 5 outlet areas by early 2026, decreasing its footprint from over 70 to 33 shops.
- Moosejaw: After being acquired by Dick’s Sporting Items in 2023, all remaining Moosejaw shops and the web site had been closed by August 2024.
- Bob’s Shops: A 70-year-old sporting items chain that filed for Chapter 11 chapter and is closing completely.
- Subsequent Journey: A Portland-based out of doors retailer introduced plans to close down all areas by late 2025, citing financial challenges and proprietor retirement.
- Liberated Manufacturers (Volcom, Billabong, Quiksilver): Over 100 shops nationwide are closing after the corporate filed for Chapter 11 chapter.
- Foot Locker & Champs Sports activities: Following a merger with Dick’s Sporting Items, roughly 400 shops are anticipated to shut by 2026, specializing in underperforming mall-based areas.
- JAX Ames Out of doors Gear: A family-owned retailer in Iowa that’s liquidating its property and shutting by the tip of summer season 2025.
Tenting isn’t for everybody.
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REI is closing shops
REI has been a market chief within the out of doors house. The corporate constructed its enterprise round two easy phrases: “Opt outside.” It shared what which means on its web site and why “those two words express us best.”
When given a alternative, life is healthier once you select to go exterior. It doesn’t must be up a mountain and it doesn’t must be for weeks. However getting exterior in all types connects us to the perfect a part of life.
The corporate has an extended historical past.
“We’ve been on this mission since the co-op came together way back in 1938 with 23 friends, a shared love of the outdoors, and a first store that was nothing more than a shelf in a gas station. Each member contributed what they could. Some sewed products at home to make them affordable. Others organized stewardship events to protect the environment,” it added.
REI has plans to shut plenty of shops, together with flagship areas in New York and Boston.
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Upcoming REI retailer closures
- SoHo, New York Metropolis: REI will shut its solely New York Metropolis location within the SoHo neighborhood. The 35,000-square-foot flagship retailer within the historic Puck Constructing will shut its doorways in late 2026.
- Boston, Massachusetts: The Boston retailer, situated within the Landmark Heart close to Fenway Park, may even shut in late 2026. This location is certainly one of REI’s 11 unionized shops, and the corporate is working with union representatives to deal with the closure’s impression on staff.
- Paramus, New Jersey: The Paramus retailer is scheduled to shut within the first quarter of 2026.
“We are deeply grateful to our teams, our members and customers, and the stores’ communities for their support over the years,” REI shared in a press release. “As markets and customer needs evolve, we must adapt to position the co-op for long-term success. We will continue serving members and customers at these locations until closing, and at our other stores across the New York and Boston regions.”
Latest REI retailer closures
- Santa Monica, California: REI closed its downtown Santa Monica retailer on February 29, 2024. The choice was influenced by elevated working prices and altering buyer wants within the space. Supply:Bicycle Retailer and Business Information
- Cambridge, Massachusetts: The small-format neighborhood retailer in Cambridge closed in April 2025 after lower than 4 years of operation resulting from underperformance. Supply:BostonGlobe.com
The general out of doors market has slowed
Out of doors Business Affiliation (OIA) launched key insights from its 2024 Out of doors Retail Gross sales Tendencies Report in March. Produced in partnership withCircana, the report particulars U.S. retail gross sales developments in chain, e-commerce, and specialty channels throughout main out of doors product classes together with attire, footwear, equipment, and tools.
- The market was down 3% to $27.5 billion in whole out of doors retail gross sales.
- All three retail channels skilled declines, with at the least half of Unbiased Out of doors Specialty Retailers struggling a double-digit decline in {dollars} bought.
- Three of the 4 main product classes contracted (Attire, Footwear, Gear), whereas the Equipment class grew.
- New, extra informal members are altering the product combine within the out of doors market.
“As people really look to tighten their budget, when you talk about essential things, is outdoor gear really one of them when you’re comparing it to rent, groceries or medical bills?” Colorado Solar reporter David Krause advised KUNC. “But there’s a lot of people who go out and they really want to buy the gear because, as you know, outdoor gear can really last a while.”
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