Pennsylvania-based Trail Creek Outfitters was named Retailer of the Year and Patagonia won Vendor of the Year at 2025’s Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards, curated by Grassroots Outdoor Alliance.
The winners were selected based on feedback from their peers in the outdoor industry. They were announced on Monday at Grassroots Connect in Reno, Nevada.
“Recognizing the hard work that retailers and brands do day in and day out to positively serve their communities while running successful businesses is one of the highlights of the year for our team and for all of the retailers and brands involved in selecting the winners,” said Dana Howe, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance vice president, in a statement. “It’s especially meaningful because these awards are given out based solely on feedback from a community of peers. It’s also meaningful because the best practices that these retailers and manufacturers put into action to earn these awards also provide great educational take-aways for us to share with our members, helping make our entire industry better in the process.”
In addition to Trail Creek and Patagonia, the other winners included:
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Excellence in footwear — Salewa
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Excellence in hardgoods and accessories — Nemo Equipment
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Excellence in Apparel & Softgoods — Rab
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Community Giveback Award — Massey’s Outfitters, New Orleans, La.
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Retailer Growth Award — Active Endeavors, Davenport, Iowa
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Retailer Wow Award (merchandising & store design) — The Toggery, Whitefish, Mont.
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Excellence in sales representation — Emily Rach, Midwest Outdoor Sales; Heath Rowland, Ground Up Sales: Kurt Smith, Top Gun Sales
The Spring 2025 Grassroots Connect Show runs from June 8 to 12.
