Trailheads

Outdoor industry veteran Marcus Woolf hits the road to visit outdoor retailers across the country.

In my 30-year career as an outdoor industry journalist, I’ve especially enjoyed getting to know retailers nationwide. In the late 1990s, working as a trade magazine editor, I took annual spring trips to visit outdoor specialty stores in specific regions. After each road trip, we would publish a story profiling the shops we saw in the area: “Eye on the Midwest,” “Eye on the Mid-Atlantic,” etc.  

While it’s possible to report on the industry from an office, there’s no substitute for getting out into the field and meeting retailers on their home turf. It’s the best way to understand dealers’ challenges and opportunities in their communities.  

This summer, I’ll once again hit the road to visit dealers, but this time as an editor for Trailheads by Switchback. Launching in August 2024, Trailheads is a new digital platform with educational and informative articles, videos, and podcasts to help outdoor retailers excel in a changing business landscape. The Trailheads platform is produced by Switchback, the education and business gathering for the outdoor industry.

Switchback Roadshow 

To create content for Trailheads, we’re launching the Switchback Roadshow. Beginning this summer, the Trailheads team will travel to different regions of the country and meet with outdoor specialty retailers.  

While visiting with store owners and employees, we’ll discuss the local outdoor scene and the challenges and advantages of doing business in the area. We’ll examine sales trends, hot products, and how broader industry issues affect stores. Maybe a shop has implemented a new merchandising strategy or revamped its product mix. Or perhaps we’ll learn about a store’s new employee training program. With the Switchback Roadshow, we can explore these innovations and issues to craft content that educates, informs, and inspires other business owners.

Building Connections

While the Roadshow’s goal is to educate and inform, another aim is to foster a sense of community. Our store profiles will help readers get to know retailers across the country, from newcomers to industry veterans. The Roadshow also allows store owners to voice their concerns and spark a dialogue between dealers, manufacturers, and reps.  

For media members like us, the Switchback Roadshow will strengthen our relationships with retailers and help us better understand issues affecting them.  

Nearly 30 years ago, I first hit the road to tour shops across the country.  Since then, the retail business and outdoor market have changed considerably. But one thing remains the same: to understand shop owners, you must walk in their shoes—or at least stand on their sales floor. We know the Switchback Roadshow will provide a fresh perspective on what’s happening in the world of outdoor specialty retail.  

Would you like the Switchback Roadshow to visit your store? Emma Galeckas for more information.