Outdoor Gear Retailer Evo Opening Brick-And-Mortar Experiential Locations

By Tim Newcomb

Published on March 1st, 2022

When the experience-led retail organization evo spent nearly $42 million on its recently opened Campus Salt Lake, it was an obvious indication that brick-and-mortar remains a core tenant of evo's strategy. It also showcased how experiential retail provides the backbone of that effort. 

"We have always believed in brick-and-mortar and strive to go beyond traditional retail across all of our locations," says evo founder Bryce Phillips. "Our ecommerce channel is very complementary to our brick-and-mortar locations, driving awareness, providing us with a loyal customer base and helping us learn about our customers and where to serve them best. Our customers share our love of the outdoors and have shared passions for art, music, travel and more. Physical locations are key to delivering real-life experiences and allow us to meet our customers where they live and recreate." 

Evo, with a three-year average annual growth rate of 22% and North American retail sales exceeding $200 million, opened Campus Salt Lake in February by transforming 100,000 square feet of warehouse space in the city's Granary District. By taking five 100-year-old previously disjointed warehouses and stitching them together under one roof, the space is now home to two stores dedicated to renting and owning gear under the names evo Salt Lake and Level Nine Sports, a 30,000-square-foot indoor climbing center Bouldering Project Salt Lake, the brand's second All Together Skatepark and the first evo Hotel. This summer they plan a restaurant and market hall. Potential future expansion could include commercial and multi-family residential space. 

"The Granary District has been rediscovered and it's coming back to life in a big way," Phillips says. "It's got the kind of energy we love, and we are thankful that we get to play our part in its renaissance."

The love of physical locations helps give fans of the online presence a place to go and helps start a consumer's journey with the brand, whether on location or online. "Campus Salt Lake is our ultimate example of providing a gathering place for the outdoor enthusiast," Phillips says. "In many ways, it is what we have been doing in our original store locations, only this time at a much larger scale."

Phillips started evo in 2001 in Seattle, primarily selling used gear online. He says the brand's growth has centered around experiences, whether physical locations or evoTrip, the brand's travel business. The first retail location opened in Seattle in 2005, taking an old warehouse and turning it into part venue and art gallery and part retail store. Since Seattle, evo has opened in Portland, Denver and Salt Lake City. "In each city," Phillips says, "we pay careful attention to how our stores can help strengthen existing communities, creating places for people to come together. These locations all provide gathering places including art galleries, event spaces and skateparks."

In this vein, evo acquired businesses that allowed them to locate in Whistler, Canada and Japan. In 2021, evo took ownership of Callaghan Country, which operates The Journeyman Lodge in Whistler, the brand's first mountain-based accommodation. They followed this up with the first evo-branded hotel in Salt Lake City in February. 

Phillips says travel and accommodations is a natural step. "We know our customers travel to share in the sports we love to do, and we think we are best equipped to curate and design lodging for these customers," he says. The Salt Lake hotel is owned by evo and operated by Sightline. 

Phillips says the Campus Salt Lake isn't a one-off for the brand. "Since first identifying the campus opportunity, we've seen it as a platform, not a project," he says. "In other words, yes, we look forward to curating more projects that reflect our ethos and will positively impact the communities where we can bring campus to life." 

Expect to see evo expand in both the U.S. and Canada, but methodically. The next step is a more robust presence in Seattle. In January, evo announced plans to build out an entire square block around its Fremont location, creating more space for evo experiences.

Previous
Previous

“A Reckoning.” The Direct To Consumer Craze Is Slamming Into Reality.

Next
Next

Why Women Are The Fastest Growing Segment Of The Population Who Hunt