Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) named its Retailer of the Year, Vendor Partner of the Year, and Community Giveback Award winner as part of the Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards.
The 2024 winners are:
- The Mountaineer of Keene, New York, which won Retailer of the Year. It scored 4.08 out of 5 across four vendor rating categories – the highest of all of the stores. The Mountaineer donates 2% of its gross sales and its staff volunteered 250 hours of community service.
- Patagonia, which was named Vendor Partner of the Year. Patagonia earned a 4.38 average score out of 5 across three retail rating categories for its product selection, specialty retail-focused sales team, and strategy.
- River Rock Outfitter of Fredericksburg, Virginia, which won the Community Giveback Award for its local partnerships, volunteer work, and charitable contrinbutions. River Rock led Project Green Homes, a sustainable housing initiative in Kathmandu, and donated 5% of its gross sales to support the local community. Its staff volunteered more than 2,000 hours toward local projects in 2023.
The Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards are chosen in part with data collected from vendors and retailers in surveys, and aim to recognize achievements in the outdoor industry. The awards were announced at the Grassroots Connect Show in Reno, Nevada, in June.
“Our goal with these awards is to foster peer-to-peer acknowledgment, create closer connections within our community, strengthen retailer relationships, and build enduring ties between retailers and brands,” said GOA President Gabe Maier in a statement.
Additional Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Award Winners
GOA members selected additional winners, which included:
- Zach Branson, managing partner at Mountain Source in Evergreen, Colorado, and Alex Cavner, territory manager for Adventure Marketing Group in Asheville, North Carolina, for Excellence in Sales Representation.
- Salewa for Excellence in Footwear.
- Nemo Equipment for Excellence in Hardgoods & Accessories.
- Mountain Hardwear for Excellence in Apparel & Softgoods.
- Playmakers for Retailer Growth.
The next Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Connect show is scheduled for Nov. 11 to 14 in Kansas City, Missouri.
