Saying Goodbye to 20.

September 22, 2015

The other day I started changing over our logo on our website, upcoming ads, email signatures, and everything else I can think of. Even though I really liked the 20th Anniversary logo we've been using for the past year, we aren't 20 anymore, so time to move on.

Changing our logo also symbolizes the passing of a milestone and I find myself feeling proud that our business has continued to thrive for so long. Even with increasing competition from all sides; big box stores, American chains moving to Canada, and some of our own supplier's opening their own corporate stores, we've not only been able to stay afloat, but actually grow. This past summer we sold more kayaks and SUP's than ever before, and we're seeing a resurgence in general camping gear, showing us that people are still getting outside despite work and personal schedules that only seem to get busier.

I attribute our continued success to consistent strategies like trying to offer friendly, knowledgeable customer service and working tirelessly to keeping prices competitive, but also to new initiatives like our venture into e-commerce. When we opened outdoorsoriented.com "version 2", it was a massive undertaking, but the response has absolutely been worth it. Even though we're new to the e-commerce world, we've been fortunate to have been able to take off running with a combination of great staff, and outside help when things get a bit too technical for these outdoorsy folks! We're excited to be shipping orders all over Canada and bringing our dedication to great service to the online world. We're proud to say that our average time from order placed to shipped is less than 30 minutes during business hours.

Looking forward, you're going to see a continued focus on expanding our online presence, while not forgetting about the brick and mortar store. The fact that we can spread out our business across both platforms means an increased selection in general. We'll continue to keep a hand on the pulse of the outdoor industry and evolve as it does by bringing in new brands and catering to new activities.

Thanks to all our great customers for supporting us all these years!

Jamie