The retail landscape in the outdoor industry is about to feel a shift. Some will see it as another nail in the proverbial coffin of specialty stores. Some will simply see it as a sad day for gear shops. After 39 years in business, Black Creek Outfitters (BCO) is shutting down.

The Jacksonville, Florida-based business, founded in 1983 by Helen and Joe Butler, Jr., is one of the last of a rare retail breed in the U.S.鈥攁 single location that has been family owned and operated since its inception. Offering mainly paddlesports gear, it鈥檚 perched on the edge of a local lake, where customers can demo products before they buy. The main sales floor spans 14,000 bright and airy square feet.

It鈥檚 the kind of shop that makes other retailers swoon with envy. And by all accounts, it鈥檚 solidly in the black and posting strong sales numbers, even amid the pandemic鈥檚 supply-chain woes. Given all that it鈥檚 doing right, the first question that most are likely to have is why the closure?

鈥淚鈥檝e always said I鈥檓 a businessperson more than I鈥檓 a retailer,鈥� said Joe Butler, the shop鈥檚 current owner and son of its founders. The end of BCO, Butler says, boils down to the right business decision at the right time.

It鈥檚 not an unfamiliar move for the Butler family. 鈥淲ith my parents, it was always about being able to throw everything up against the wall,鈥� said Butler. The store began as a sailboat shop in the early 鈥�80s, pivoted to focus on outdoor gear in the mid-90s, and has since added (and periodically dropped) category after category with the 鈥渆motion taken out of it,鈥� as Butler said, based on what makes sense for the business and the family.

Behind the scenes at BCO, that same calculus has led the Butlers to a bittersweet鈥攖hough, they say, appropriate鈥攃onclusion: the time to say goodbye has come.

Unpacking the News

The decision to wind down BCO wasn鈥檛 made suddenly, Butler told OBJ this week. The chain of events that led to the news began a year ago, in February 2021. Butler鈥檚 parents, who are both in their 70s and still own the building in which BCO is housed, were approached with an offer to buy the space.

鈥淚t was an insanely high offer,鈥� Butler said, noting that his parents, at that time, were in the middle of transitioning to retirement. The attractiveness of the bid got them in the mood to sell, and even though that first deal fell apart, when their broker came back with another offer a couple months later, the family jumped on it. 鈥淓ven that second offer was above the building鈥檚 appraised value by a significant amount,鈥� Butler said.

At that point, with a deal closed, Butler wanted to find a new location to keep BCO going. 鈥淲e started looking around for [properties],鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith inflationary pressures and real estate struggling, I thought I could get a good deal. The reality is, though, when you鈥檙e a 40,000-square-foot, purpose-built shop on a lake, what you鈥檇 have to settle for鈥攇oing down to 4,000 or 5,000 square feet鈥攚ould lead to the perception among customers that you鈥檙e going out of business. It would have taken BCO from an A-level experience to a B-level experience.鈥�

That reality, combined with the vendor challenges squeezing just about every other specialty shop in the country right now, led Butler to an inevitable conclusion. 鈥淲hen we started to put all that together, it kind of melted our secret sauce here at BCO,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I followed my heart, we鈥檇 have another store somewhere, because I love what I do, but I鈥檝e always been a businessman first. We had to ask, from a business standpoint, what鈥檚 the right thing to do?鈥�

The Changing Specialty Retail Landscape

In some ways, the end of Black Creek is emblematic of the lopsided nature of specialty retail more broadly across the country. The shop鈥攏ot unlike many paddlesports retailers in the past two years鈥攈as posted strong numbers lately. But Butler still feels like there鈥檚 something missing.

鈥淲e had tremendous growth in 2020,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淲e had growth close to 40 percent. In 2021, it was still about 9.7 percent. If we had gotten everything we wanted from every vendor, it probably would have been more.鈥�

That last sentiment is exactly the point. Butler and his team at BCO couldn鈥檛 get all the product they wanted into the store last year鈥攏ot even close. That struggle flew in the face of everything BCO has tried to stand for over the past four decades. 鈥淲hen we got into this business, we always tried to be a leader in what I call the 鈥榥ew hotness,鈥欌�� Butler said, by which he means the latest and greatest cutting-edge gear. 鈥淢y philosophy has always been that we have to have that new hotness in the store, because that鈥檚 the expectation of the customer.鈥�

Those cutting-edge products have been harder and harder to get lately, but in Butler鈥檚 estimation, the pandemic isn鈥檛 100 percent to blame. There鈥檚 a larger cultural slowdown happening in outdoor innovation, he said, that makes retail ownership less exciting than it was 20 years ago.

鈥淭here was a tremendous amount of technical innovation that happened in the outdoor space from the early 90s to the mid-2000s,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when Polartec and Gore went from being unknown to known. Footwear changed completely. There was a tremendous shift in how products were made. We were fortunate to be [doing business] in that period. The outdoor industry has been much more iterative since about 2005. There鈥檚 been incremental change [in product innovation], but not what I would call big leaps.鈥�

Loyal Customers, Loyal Vendors

Industry-wide changes aside, it鈥檚 clear from speaking with BCO vendors and customers that few others saw the shop as anything but cutting-edge and ahead of the pack in both its product mix and attention to new trends.

鈥淚 kept returning over and over to BCO because I trusted everyone at the store,鈥� said Chris Burns, a longtime customer from the Jacksonville area. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 carry just any brands. They promoted brands whose products were excellent, and dealt with manufacturers who were environmentally conscious, good to their employees, and stood behind their merchandise. When you bought something from BCO, you felt good about your purchase.鈥�

It鈥檚 a sentiment echoed among the shop鈥檚 vendors. 鈥淭hey listened to their customers really well,鈥� said Frank Stapleton, an independent sales rep who for years sold Hobie products to BCO. 鈥淭hey did a really good job keeping their ear to the ground and paying attention to trends. Other retailers in the area would actually drive to BCO to check out what they were doing.鈥�

Most of all, it seems, they treated people well. 鈥淛oe always came to a meeting with a casual demeanor that was a veneer for the roiling imagination and energy that was about to come forth,鈥� said Ben Tendel, director of sales at Yakima, whose products were perennial bestsellers at the shop. 鈥淗is passion for authenticity and community involvement inspired his vendors to engage more effectively with money, personnel, and imagination. I left, every time, whether at a show or in their store, energized. Every time.鈥�

The final piece of the puzzle, indispensable to the shop鈥檚 success, was the lake out the back door (featured consistently in the shop’s promotional strategy, as in the Instagram interview below). Fifty feet from the shop, product demos took place daily. 鈥淏CO exemplifies what we consider a specialty retailer,鈥� said Chris Decerbo, director of sales at Tahe Outdoors. 鈥淭he extensive product knowledge, the high-level service of the staff, and the on-site demo opportunity set BCO apart for the customer experience.鈥� The lake, in fact, is one of the pieces of the business Butler says he鈥檒l miss most. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e leaving a little bit of a hole in the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are only three or four stores nationwide with a lake right out back where people can try paddleboards and kayaks. Jacksonville had that, and they probably won鈥檛 for a while.鈥�

 

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What鈥檚 Next?

When BCO winds down, Butler will also step aside from his position as chairman of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, in which Black Creek has been a longtime member. In contemplating the next phase of his career, Butler says he got some choice advice from Rich Hill, Grassroots鈥� executive director.

鈥淩ich put it to me straight,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淗e told me, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e been doing this for 30 years. You just need to take three or four months off so you can figure out what the next thing is.鈥� So that鈥檚 exactly what I鈥檓 going to do.鈥�

Whatever that is, Butler will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience along with him鈥攎ore than most retailers in the country will ever be able to claim. He stresses the point, though: he鈥檚 excited for the next thing. BCO鈥檚 legacy will continue to shape the retail scene in Florida and beyond, even after it鈥檚 gone. But in Butler鈥檚 mind, there鈥檚 more he has left to accomplish.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very bittersweet,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 definitely happier than sad.鈥�

The post End of an Era: The Outdoor Retail Scene Loses an Iconic Shop appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen a lot of suffering among retailers, as news of closures, furloughs, and layoffs rolls in. We’ve also seen the best in people鈥攃ustomers banding together to support independent shops, vendors implementing programs to keep their dealers afloat, and brands launching campaigns to get people thinking about the existential threat some of our beloved gear shops currently face. As states begin to reopen their economies this week, the landscape has changed for retailers yet again, with new challenges鈥攁nd, hopefully, some relief鈥攐n the way.

OBJ spoke with three retailers in states currently reopening to get some perspective on their day-to-day experiences: Joe Butler, board chair of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance聽and owner of Black Creek Outfitters in Jacksonville, Florida;聽Todd Frank, owner of The Trail Head in Missoula, Montana; and聽Tobias Albrigtsen, media and advertising manager at Beaver Sports in Fairbanks, Alaska.

First of all, how is your business doing? What has changed in the last few weeks?

“For us, the closure has actually been successful. Because of what we sell, we fell into the category of essential business, so we stayed open, though not in the traditional sense. We worked on an appointment-only basis. It didn鈥檛 matter that people couldn鈥檛 spend as much time inside our store, because we do a lot of our business outside the shop anyway. We鈥檙e a paddlesports store and we鈥檙e located right on a lake, so even on a normal day a customer might be inside the shop looking at kayaks for five minutes and then out on the water for an hour trying out boats. We had a very successful April. I know that I鈥檓 an outlier in that. Another blessing was that we haven鈥檛 had to get rid of anybody. We did have some people choose to stop working for reasons that I think were valid鈥攂ecause they were older, or younger staff living at home with people who were at risk. Those employees leaving basically right-sized the organization without me having to let anybody go.”聽鈥擩oe Butler

鈥淚 have three locations here in Missoula and I laid 40 people off. We have essentially cancelled all remaining spring orders. We鈥檙e just going to manage what we have, pick and choose based on what鈥檚 working and not. Right now, our concern is more on the apparel side of the business. Consumers are still going out hiking, riding bikes, and getting on the river, but they鈥檙e not shopping for new jackets or anything like that right now. We鈥檙e budgeting for apparel to be off at least 60 percent this season.鈥� 鈥擳odd Frank

鈥淭hings are looking more positive than they looked a month ago. We鈥檙e considered an essential business and we kept the whole store open but it鈥檚 been very slow the last few weeks. Our main competitor here in Fairbanks is REI, and we definitely saw some benefit from their closure, especially in our bike shop. Last month was actually the most successful April the bike shop has seen since 2012 when REI came to town.鈥� 鈥擳obias Albrightsen

What helped you the most during the shutdown? What hurt the most?

鈥淚 think one key point is that none of our vendors cut us off in any way. They maintained price and continued to steer people to our store. A lot of them partnered with to show people what was in our shop. I actually think we were a little more prepared for this because Florida is the hurricane belt. We鈥檝e had to deal with disaster situations before that have forced us to look at inventory and expenses and assess everything. A few years ago we were too fat on inventory when a big hurricane hit and we had no cash when we needed it. After that we started to make adjustments to ensure we weren鈥檛 carrying as many payables during hurricane season, just in case we did get cash constrained. In some ways, this pandemic feels a lot like the days right before a hurricane. People are making runs on Home Depot and stocking up on supplies, things like that. The only difference is, with a hurricane it鈥檚 over in a week. COVID-19 has taken a much greater mental toll.鈥澛犫�擩oe Butler

鈥淟osing much of our staff has definitely hurt. With the federal aid coming through, some employees that we laid off are getting even more money on unemployment than they were before this started. So I understand if some are hesitant to come back and put their health at risk. For seven weeks it鈥檚 been me here alone answering the phone, talking to vendors, making clear that we can鈥檛 take any new summer product on preseason orders. Right now, there鈥檚 no information out there from government about further steps of reopening. I can鈥檛 bring people back until I know what鈥檚 going to happen.鈥� 鈥擳odd Frank

鈥淢arch hit us pretty hard and we were definitely struggling. We tried to predict some of our customers鈥� buying patterns鈥攚e thought we鈥檇 see an uptick in dried foods and other emergency items鈥攂ut those didn鈥檛 move at all. In the second week of March, we stopped placing new orders. Since then, we鈥檝e slowly started ordering again because the revenue started to tick up about two weeks ago. Hopefully we have a healthy May in front of us.鈥澛犫�擳obias Albrightsen

Now that you’re reopening, what safety measures are you taking to keep customers and employees safe?

鈥淲e鈥檙e requiring customers and staff to wear masks. We also have new cleaning protocols in place. If someone tries on a piece of clothing, we鈥檙e going to set it aside, steam it, and let it sit for a few days.鈥� 鈥擳odd Frank

“We have sanitation stations and most of our employees wear masks. We don鈥檛 require masks at this point but that鈥檚 probably going to change very soon. We got a comment online from someone who said they鈥檙e not coming back to the store unless everyone has masks. We haven鈥檛 had a new case in Fairbanks for a week now so I think most of our employees are pretty comfortable, but some of the online comments we鈥檝e gotten are clear about how customers are feeling. Another聽thing we do here that I haven鈥檛 seen anywhere else is sanitize the pens that customers use to sign receipts. We have two cups, one with dirty pens and one with clean.鈥澛犫�擳obias Albrightsen

What challenges do you anticipate in the immediate future?

鈥淩ight now vendors are trying to get rid of products and we鈥檙e trying to do the same. It all has to go somewhere. I would guess that some brands are going to try to liquidate by pushing direct-to-consumer. For them, selling to consumers at preseason wholesale rates is the same as selling to us at the same price鈥攖hey won’t take a margin hit.聽As the summer rolls on, I think the gloves are going to come off and we鈥檒l see discounts of 50, 60, 70 percent. It鈥檚 going to be a bloodbath. Retailers will have to liquidate stuff to survive. That鈥檚 just my gut feeling. I hope that doesn鈥檛 happen, of course.鈥澛犫�擳odd Frank

“Every vendor and retailer needs to think about trust right now. You don鈥檛 want to break trust from either side. That鈥檚 what keeps the business going. If you鈥檙e a retailer and you can鈥檛 make a payment, you have to be upfront. If you鈥檙e a vendor, you don鈥檛 want to cut out your retailers by pushing direct-to-consumer business. Some of these partnerships have lasted for decades. It’s critical that we don’t break that. People keep score in the way that you treat partners. It shows people what you really stand for.”聽鈥擩oe Butler

What’s top of mind for you right now?

鈥淲hen we first shut down, we knew it was going to be tough, but I always thought it might be even harder when we reopened. It鈥檚 a whole new world now. As retailers, the field was already tilted away from us with vendors getting product into the market below retail price through expanded pro deals, friends and family discounts, and direct-to-consumer channels. That鈥檚 been happening for years. But now the landscape has changed, and it might accelerate that behavior for some. The best predictor of how a brand is going to behave in the future is to look at how it behaved in the past.鈥澛犫�擳odd Frank

鈥淚 think we’ve learned a lesson. The changes we made inside the business over the past couple months were relatively slow, to be honest. We changed as the mandates of the state changed. Looking back, I now see that taking action is a form of advertising in itself. Making your customers comfortable coming into the store is the main goal. Having said that, among the employees, morale is better every day. Now that we鈥檝e had a turnaround, people are excited to come to work again.鈥澛犫�擳obias Albrightsen

The post Three Retailers on How the Pandemic Has Hit Them appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Truth: canoes, kayaks, and standup paddleboards are perfectly suited to family fun.

A day paddling on a mirror flat lake, fishing from a kayak, or splashing in the waves on a SUP for the first time can build vivid lifelong memories for kids and parents. And great specialty retail shops are often people鈥檚 first point of contact with the joys of paddlesports.

How can retailers introduce more families to these activities and build lifelong customers in the process? We turned to five of the continent鈥檚 coolest paddlesports retailers to get their advice for creating a thriving, bustling, shop full of happy families looking to get out on the water. Dive into their advice.

1. Throw a Party

Experience-based birthday parties are the top choice for many kids. Instead of paintball, the climbing gym, or trampoline park, offer parents the opportunity to host kayak parties, where they can get their kids and their friends into boats in a safe, comfortable, guided environment.

鈥淲hen we first started offering youth kayak parties, every parent that received an invitation would call me with lots of questions and concerns. Fifteen years later, they don’t bat an eye, as kayaks have become prominent in everyday life. A party gives them a chance to develop a personal connection with our store and distinguish between different types and quality of kayaks. The cool thing is, the birthday boy or girl and many of their friends become hooked on paddling, adding paddling equipment to their birthday or Christmas wish lists, which is, of course, good for business.鈥� 鈥擠ave Lindo, owner, OKC Kayak, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2. Offer Something for Everyone

Space limitations often challenge a retailer鈥檚 ability to merchandise a variety of products, but if you want to attract families, you have to showcase gear for the whole gang.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to prominently display products for every size family member, whether it鈥檚 paddles, thermal apparel, or PFDs. It鈥檚 not just parents who need quality stuff. Kids will become lifelong adventurers if their early experiences on the water are safe, comfortable, and fun. Be sure to merchandise and present your product in a way that appeals to both kids and adults. When you offer products like swim goggles, masks, and snorkels near the PFDs, that diverse selection expands the activities offered within the store and purchase opportunities.鈥� 鈥擩onathan Earle, co-owner, The Outfitters, St. John鈥檚, Newfoundland, Canada

10 Hot-Sellers in Family Paddlesports

OtterBox Yampa Dry Duffle

OtterBox’s waterproof Yampa Dry Duffle Keeps gear safe from water, sand, and dirt. Available in three sizes: 35-, 70-, and 105-liter. MSRP: From $249

Leader Adult Full-Face Snorkel Mask with Camera Mount

Delivering a whole new underwater experience, delivers easy breathing and fog-free vision. MSRP: $80

Astral Brewess Water Shoe for Women

With its super-sticky outsole and quick dry uppers the Brewess elevates the common sneaker to a new level of performance and versatility round the water. MSRP: $110

Leader Stingray Adult Goggle

blends the performance of a one-piece universal bridge design and hypo-allergenic silicone eyeseals with a minimalist strap design featuring a 1-Step strap adjustment system. MSRP: $22

Kokatat Naiad

Kokatat鈥檚 new women-specific life vest offers a soft external fabric and an internal PVC-free foam cut to allow for a liberated fit. Cool features: attachments on the back for a hydrations system, three zippered pockets, and two fleece-lined hand warmer pockets. MSRP: $139

Nite Ize Flashflight Discs

This light-up disc is a must have campsite game for all ages鈥攄ay or night.聽MSRP: From $22

Perception Prodigy XS Kayak

Built especially for kids, the Prodigy’s sit-in design protects them from the elements and lowers the kayak鈥檚 center of gravity to further enhance stability for beginning paddlers. MSRP: $439

Leader Montego Bay Jr. Snorkel Kit

This three-piece snorkel kit includes a mask, adjustable fins, and a snorkel sized for kids sized for kids age seven and up. MSRP: $44

Old Town Inlet Junior

The feature-rich Inlet Junior is a comfortable, well-priced PFD, making it the ideal choice for kids who can鈥檛 get enough of the water. MSRP: $79

Ocean Kayak Malibu Pedal Kayak

Use the to add exercise and fun on the water to your daily routine. A kid鈥檚 jump seat makes family outings a breeze and there鈥檚 even enough room for your dog to join the family adventure. MSRP: $2199

3. Welcome First-Timers

Families looking for new adventures are thirsty for information. One of the best ways to turn interest into action is to host events that let them try paddling in a supportive environment.

鈥淲e鈥檙e located on a 22-acre lake, and we take full advantage of that by offering regular ‘Friendly First Timer’ demo events. Those first experiences are critical. If they have a good time, they’re coming back for a second demo. I have people come off the water with a grin on their face. It鈥檚 like a six-year-old boy getting off his first roller coaster. There are a lot of people that just haven’t had an opportunity to get into the right size equipment and be engaged by a great instructor. We want to be the ones to give people that.鈥� 鈥擩oe Butler, owner, Black Creek Outfitters, Jacksonville, Florida

4. Host a Summer Camp

Working parents are always looking for wholesome summer daycamp experiences for their kids. Located in Bryson City, North Carolina, Nantahala Outdoor Center offers week-long beginner, intermediate, and advanced paddling summer camps for children age 13 to 17.

鈥淲ith a high percentage of kids returning to our camps year-to-year we鈥檝e established strong relationships with lifelong paddlers. We hear kids gets off the water and the first thing they say to their parents is 鈥業’m coming back next year.鈥� We actually get mom and dad getting involved in paddling through these camps because if you can instill passion in a teenager, that can really pull mom and dad into paddlesports.鈥� 鈥擩an Wojtansinski, director of marketing Nantahala Outdoor, Center, Bryson City, North Carolina

5. Talk to the Kids

Everyone has a voice that needs to be heard. Take time to listen to what kids have to say and actively acknowledge their contributions.

鈥淭he first question I ask people is where do you see yourself going to paddle? The fears and the anxieties surface automatically, especially if someone is afraid of the water. Kids will blurt out, 鈥榤y mom’s terrified to do this鈥�. Parents will notice when you鈥檙e listening to the kids and answering their questions and concerns. That approach can lead to long term customer relationships with both parents and the children as they get older.鈥濃�擠arren Bush, chief paddling evangelist, Rutabaga Paddlesports, Madison, Wisconsin

The post How to Drive Sales in Your Paddlesports Department appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In the summer of 2015, when Brent Troncalli of 国产吃瓜黑料 World, a Georgia-based outdoor specialty store, decided to give up one of his two locations to spend more time with his family, he needed a plan.

“We looked at our options and decided we could either close the store completely or try to find somebody to take it over,” he said.

Many shop owners eventually face this decision, and it鈥檚 not an easy one. Closing up shop, after pouring years of their life into a business they love, feels like defeat.

But a good succession plan empowers specialty retailers to achieve their financial goals and set a new owner up for success.

Know Your End Game

Without a clear goal, it’s difficult to achieve a successful transition for the business. According to Cyndi Thompson of Cinder Finance, a firm that specializes in financial planning for small businesses, sellers could point the sale toward any number of very different exit goals.

“Do they want to hand off the keys and walk into the sunset with a check? Or would they like to phase out gradually?” Thompson said. These goals determine the design of the plan.

James Wilson of Eastside Sports in Bishop, California, who died聽recently, wanted to maintain the store’s success after his retirement, according to Todd Vogel, the store’s current co-owner.

“From James’s perspective, he was concerned about legacy,” Vogel said. “He said he could just sell everything and close it, but that was, by far, not his first choice.”

Procrastination鈥攁nd Rushing鈥擶ill Cost You

In an ideal world, the planning process would begin at least three years before closing. For almost five years leading up to Dana (and husband Jeremy) Davis’s purchase of Summit Hut, she and founder David Baker exhaustively researched the legal process of selling the business.

Rushing through contractual details not only costs more in legal fees, it can lead to important oversights of small details that may cost both parties down the road. For example, the archival photos on the wall of Summit Hut colorfully evoke the history of the store, but Davis and Baker could easily have overlooked the ownership of these essential decorations had they rushed through contract-building. Instead, they methodically inventoried all the relevant store assets and included them in their contract.

Davis also called industry friends and acquaintances as well as financial experts far in advance in order to understand as much as possible the opportunities, challenges, and concerns involved in taking over the Summit Hut. “Doing my homework required a lot of time and effort, but in the end it was why I was successful,” Davis said.

Get Real (About Value)

When the Davises began considering purchasing Summit Hut, they assessed the value of the business in hard economic terms in order to determine the sum they would pay for it.

But for some founders, value assessments can get, understandably, emotional. Founders commonly fall into the trap of factoring in the blood, sweat, and tears that went into building the business. This sweat equity, while deeply important to the seller, does not factor into the objective value of the business, and it can complicate the negotiations.

Davis suggests walking in your counter party鈥檚 shoes while negotiating. “Truly look at what you would pay for your company if you were the one looking to buy it, because that gives you a different perspective,” she said.

Cultivate the Right Buyer

Dana Davis had known for years that聽she wanted to eventually own Summit Hut.

“I was pursuing a career as a skydiving jumpmaster and cameraman, but I took a job temporarily at the Summit Hut,” she said. “I actually loved working there, so I decided that was what I was going to do.”

She quickly took on bigger roles at the store鈥攎anaging and buying鈥攁nd she made it clear to Baker that she was interested in buying the business when he decided to retire.

According to Thompson, the most successful transitions are those in which the operations aren’t dependent on the single owner’s knowledge and connections. This is particularly noticeable in transitions within families.

Joe Butler worked at his father’s store, Black Creek Outfitters, for over a decade before purchasing it from him. That time spent in the store, as well as the already unsurpassable bond of trust between father and son, allowed Butler Sr. to help Butler grow the skills necessary to take the store over when he retired in 2005.

Butler uses that approach today to help his employees develop their store knowledge and their alignment with his vision for the future of the business.

“I want to empower people, so that they don鈥檛 feel like they always have to come to me with questions,” Butler said. To nurture great employees, Butler sometimes steps out of the store for a few hours or days to give them a chance to solve problems without relying on his knowledge of the business.

If outgoing owners have given committed employees a broad knowledge of the industry and the functions of the business, then they have mentored the perfect buyer.

“If you have an employee who’s been there forever鈥攚ho basically knows how to run the joint鈥攚hy wouldn’t you look to that person as your first choice?” Vogel said. “It makes sense for everybody.”

Calm Your Vendors

Every owner we spoke to emphasized the need to keep vendors informed and confident that the business will succeed under new ownership. Prior to their purchase of Eastside Sports, Vogel and his wife and business partner, Chris Iversen, sent a joint letter to all their vendors informing them of the sale.

Sellers can help ease vendors’ nerves about a sale as well鈥攅ffectively passing the torch of the business in the buyers’ eyes, which makes it easier for new owners to establish those critical relationships. Dave Baker spent his first day as the former owner of Summit Hut calling vendors on Davis’s behalf. “He made sure to let people know that he thought the sale was a really good thing, and he was behind it confident that we would be successful,” Davis said.

Watch the Details

Good lawyers and valuation professionals who understand both parties’ goals can help smooth over future questions, even after the transaction has taken place. When negotiating the Summit Hut transition, the Davises and Baker included everything they could think of in the contract鈥攆rom the aforementioned store photos to the length of time Baker would receive a discount. “It can get very confusing and challenging when emotions and money are involved,” Davis said. “If you have it in writing, it takes ambiguity out of it.”

When Troncalli finally decided to sell the Columbus location of 国产吃瓜黑料 World, his longtime manager Chris Largent was the obvious choice.

“We went to Chris and said, ‘We want to do this,'” Troncalli said. “‘We think you’re so valuable and you’ve given us years of your life so far; we want to give you the first opportunity to purchase it.'”

Troncalli and Largent paid close attention to the many details involved in ensuring the store succeeds after Troncalli’s exit, and it’s paying off. Largent started his ownership of 国产吃瓜黑料 World Columbus with strong employee and vendor relationships, and Troncalli remains invested in Largent’s success among the Georgia outdoor community, even from afar.

“It’s important that he’s successful,” Troncalli said. “Our industry’s a little different. There are so many little things you’ve got to know. If you don’t, you’re not going to make it.”

Chris Rooney is a freelance writer and rock climber based in Chicago, Illinois. This is his first story for OBJ.聽

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