There’s a lot happening at retail these days, so The Dailly is checking in with some outdoor specialty accounts to see how they are navigating the challenging environment.
We asked Kyle and Brett Havertine, the owners of Trail Creek Outfitters in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, about sales trends so far this year and their outlook for holiday, how they are adjusting their merchandise mix, and what brands and categories are working.
How is business so far this year?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: Revenue is down 2% from 2023.
What are the biggest challenges?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: Early in-season discounting on core outdoor brands’ DTC channels has forced our hand to compete with online sales and as a result our margin has suffered. Particularly this fall, we’ve noticed a down-tick in foot traffic. It’s always a challenge to come up with new, creative marketing ideas to drive consumers in-store.
Once we do get the customer in the door, we are confident that our customer service and knowledge on the product we carry differentiates us from the competition. It’s the hurdle of convincing consumers that touching and feeling the product, rather than the ease of an online purchase, is worth it.
What are the biggest brights spots?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: Travel has been strong, including packs, luggage, and travel accessories.
Women’s apparel has also been a bright spot for us this year.
What kinds of travel products are working?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: In luggage, carry-on bags or just a practical bag for that weekend trip have been successful. Strong products include Patagonia MLC’s/wheeled duffels, Cotopaxi Alpas, and Osprey Ozones and Transporters.
Travel accessories are also working well, and Eagle Creek excels in travel organization. Also, small travel items such as towels, soaps/detergents, and neck pillows have been selling.
Have you made any adjustments to your merchandise mix or implemented any new strategies this year due to what’s happening in the outdoor market?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: Overall, we continue to lean into lifestyle, catering to the post-pandemic trend of new, more casual participants in the outdoor market.
What types of lifestyle brands or categories are you carrying more of now? Have customers responded?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: For both footwear and apparel, we’re shifting towards curating products that are “‘trail-to-tavern.”
With footwear, we’re finding that our customers are moving away from the brown boot hiker and more towards a faster/lighter shoe that can be used in a wide variety of situations – not just on the trail.
We find that our customer wants clothing and outerwear that they can take on their weekend hike but also wear out to dinner once they’re done.
What about what’s working in women’s apparel?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: Athleisure is still a thing but it seems to be dropping off a bit compared to immediately after the pandemic.
“Boxier” silhouettes are a trend right now, as are earthy tones.
We are finding that customers are looking for newness so we’re leaning into new styles that our brands are offering, for example Patagonia, The North Face, and Prana.
We feel that people are ready for the next style, rather than the same style just in a different color.
How are you feeling about the holiday season? Are you planning for sales to be up or down vs. holiday 2023?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: We are cautiously optimistic that holiday will be up compared to last year.
Is there any product or category or brand that you are especially excited about headed into 2025?
Kyle and Brett Havertine: We are bringing in L.L. Bean. This is an exciting move for us as we feel this is a brand with a strong history that is now looking to expand into specialty wholesale. We hope this will provide our customer with a price-point product that maintains a high level of quality.
