In a Shop Eat Surf Outdoor webinar, Candy Harris, Justin Regan, and Ryan Hitzel talked about the AI tools that are changing everything, the fundamentals that aren’t, and what keeps them up at night.
Tiffany Montgomery
Tiffany Montgomery's Latest Posts
The Ascent: From Volcom to Paul Frank to Z Supply, Ann Fong Spent 30 Years Building a Career at Brands She Loves — And She’s Not Done Yet
In May, Fong won the Orange County Business Journal 2026 CFO Lifetime Achievement Award. Now she’s focused on what comes next: scaling Z Supply to $300 million.
Zumiez Posts Eighth Straight Positive Comp Quarter But Flags Consumer Slowdown Late in Q1

Zumiez posted fiscal Q1 net sales of $193.3 million and comparable sales growth of 4%, but management flagged building consumer pressure late in the quarter and issued a conservative second quarter outlook amid a challenging discretionary spending environment.
Outside Days 2026 Draws Brands, Athletes and Policymakers Around a Single Urgent Question: Who Gets Outside?
Outside Days 2026 brought together outdoor consumers, brands, retailers, athletes, and policymakers in Denver for a multi-day gathering that put access, culture, and sustainability at the center of the industry conversation.
Tilly’s Posts 22.9% Comp Sales Gain in Q1, Eyes Store Expansion as Turnaround Gains Traction
CEO Nate Smith said the company sees a credible path to profitability and is exploring store expansion for the first time in years.
Kate Robertson Named Editor-in-Chief of Retail TouchPoints
Kate Robertson, who covered the outdoor industry for Shop Eat Surf Outdoor, has been named Editor-in-Chief of sister publication Retail TouchPoints.
REI’s San Diego Store Votes to Unionize as Co-op’s Anniversary Sale Beats Expectations
REI’s San Diego store voted to unionize, becoming the co-op’s 12th unionized location, while the company separately reported stronger-than-expected Anniversary Sale results despite a union-led boycott.
Independent Retail Optimism Hits Lowest Point Among All Industries, NFIB Survey Finds
The National Federation of Independent Business reports that independent retail is the most pessimistic business segment in the country, with an Optimism Index of 94.1, the lowest of all industries tracked and the only one to fall below the all-firms baseline.
Outdoor Retailer Industry Day Tackles Key Issues at Minneapolis Show in AugustÂ
Outdoor Retailer has unveiled the Industry Day program for its August 2026 show in Minneapolis, building an afternoon agenda around some of the most debated questions in the outdoor business, from the future of the independent retailer to who the outdoor consumer is becoming.Â
Rip Curl, Oboz Parent KMD Brands Begins Strategic Review After Recapitalization
Eoin Comerford, founder of Outside Consulting and former CEO of Moosejaw, provided some context to SESO on why he thinks KMD Brands is launching this review now.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Reports Q1 Growth, Details Foot Locker ‘Fast Break’ ProgressÂ
Foot Locker reported positive comp sales for the first time since Q4 of 2024. Dick’s execs explained how they’re taking a low-capital approach to transforming the company as it builds momentum toward a major marketing push for back-to-school.Â
Authentic Brands Group Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Lee
Lee generates approximately $1.5 billion in annual retail-equivalent sales across 73 countries, with nearly 40% coming from outside the US and Canada, according to Authentic.
