Kuiu Article

[Takem]

In the video posted above, Jason said they will be.

Thank you for the follow up. That's going to be interesting.

 

[Takem]

Have you tried First Lite's Tall/Long sizing? I'm 6'3 and almost discounted FL since my fist set of Kanabs stopped mid ankle, but ordered a new set in Large/tall and it fits my 34/35 inseam very well.

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Good to know. I'll definatley keep that in mind. I'm a 35/36 but it may be worth a shot.

 

[Bulldawg]

In a world where all retail is struggling and failing, especially the outdoor industry, I find it pretty weird someone would voluntarily jump in and open their own store.

 

[AKMAN]

Maybe a retail space in the Anchorage airport?

Easily the US airport the most money leaves a state through...

(Edit for context: $2.7 Billion dollars a year is earned in Alaska and "taken home" via Anchorage International)

 

[MattB]

It is interesting that people who don't own any Kuiu specifically because they could not try it on before buying it because of its distribution model don't understand why a company would open up retail establishments where people could try in on before of buying it.

#shakeheademoji

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

In a world where all retail is struggling and failing, especially the outdoor industry, I find it pretty weird someone would voluntarily jump in and open their own store.

Their own store...? You mean their own third store? First was Dixon. Second was the Euro branch in Spain. Third is in CO.

If the first two were struggling and failing, I don't think we'd see their own third store opening.

 

[Bulldawg]

Their own store...? You mean their own third store? First was Dixon. Second was the Euro branch in Spain. Third is in CO.

If the first two were struggling and failing, I don't think we'd see their own third store opening.

Haha you'd be surprised what some will do! And it's a totally different game having a show room where you base all of your business out of and a European store where that part of the world may not know as much about your product. Having a store where your sales model has always been direct only to the customer is a different story.

 

[johnsd16]

I would worry about what kind of staff they can keep in the store(s). The biggest problem I have with most retail outdoors (and a lot of others) is the salespeople are not knowledgeable at all about the products. The people that are the most helpful are other hunters, and at crunch time they are the same people that want to be prepping their gear, scouting, or hunting once the season gets rolling. Also, most decent types are not willing to work for what retail sales floor can realistically pay. Will they pay their floor salespeople? $15/hr, $20/hr, more? I'm sure they will attract some with moderate pay and good perks (hunts, discounts) but I worry it won't be long before you have the stores filled with fanboys that have the rams head tattooed on their d*ck who can't give any useful information, just pimp the product. Most guys/gals in their 20s-30s plus aren't willing to grind out a retail job for $40-$50k/yr without benefits (maybe they have benefits, IDK). With one store this might not happen but if they keep expanding and given enough time it is at risk for eroding. Patchwork part timers is tough to manage from a personnel standpoint.

Best of luck to them but I can't say I will buy any more or less of their products if they open a store in Denver.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Best of luck to them but I can't say I will buy any more or less of their products if they open a store in Denver.

Nor will I, but I will credit them with avoiding the easier path via a status-quo approach.

I understand the thought that retail stores are failing, but it certainly doesn't mean the majority are failing...just the ones without enough guidance (and revenue) to make the necessary adaptations toward ongoing success. KUIU being a retail business (direct to consumer) definitely makes sense in having retail locations. Brick & Mortar does = legitimacy to many who see it as a step above 'simple' manufacturing and distribution. It also may help differentiate or separate an entity such as KUIU from competitors who don't have multiple locations for retail sales.

I don't think it's much of a stretch to say this: If Sitka decided to open a couple of very serious retail shops (adjacent to major population areas) complete with their entire product line, plus accessory gear, plus boots...etc, etc....there would be enormous applause and support for that. Guys would flock there if possible. But then again...their retailers would potentially be aghast at the prospect.

 

[Molon Labe]

The retail stores that are failing do ot provide any value other than a place to buy products.
Gander/cabelas/sports authority etc...i can just buy the product online after researching...most likely cheaper.
Scheels on the other hand is expanding constantly building stores every year.
Many reasons why Scheels is successful but most important is the staff.
Go to Scheels and talk to anyone in any department and they have a passion for that sport/hunting/fishing.
Having a sales staff paid on commission and that uses the products all the time makes sense.
I hope Kuiu hires experts in the field and pays them well. That will make them successful.

 

[sneaky]

Just my opinion;

1.) Sales data shows that they sell a lot of product to Colorado hunters.

2.) Large town/airline hub located in the central part of the country...lots of business travel to/through.

3) Half of California has moved to the Front Range

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[sneaky]

So would it be out of line if I showed at the grand opening head to toe in kifaru and rokslide gear reading Eastmans?



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Start a gofundme for your ticket and the Slide will make that happen

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[sneaky]

The Colorado front range has a huge 'bro truck' crowd. They might break even on building a store just on selling these bone heads stickers for their lifted diesels and raptors. As long as they can scrape off the bone collector stickers to make room...

Hairston was briefly a Denver Bronco wasn't he? In the John Elway era right? Wonder if he will get any of that kind of pub when the place opens?

I guess Salt Lake city will be on his list of places then. Bro central, Denver is playing second fiddle to SLC.

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[Bulldawg]

I would be wiling to bet that Scheels is struggling as much as the next guy, that is the market that we live in now. And it comes from people buying items online, after checking out the item in a store and buying from their phone from amazon as they walk out the door.

The retail stores that are failing do ot provide any value other than a place to buy products.
Gander/cabelas/sports authority etc...i can just buy the product online after researching...most likely cheaper.
Scheels on the other hand is expanding constantly building stores every year.
Many reasons why Scheels is successful but most important is the staff.
Go to Scheels and talk to anyone in any department and they have a passion for that sport/hunting/fishing.
Having a sales staff paid on commission and that uses the products all the time makes sense.
I hope Kuiu hires experts in the field and pays them well. That will make them successful.

 

[boom]

Kuiu is the "California" of rokslide.

nothing generates a buzz (good or bad) like Kuiu. similar to my home state.

personally, i could give an rat's butt how the company is run. i own a few pieces that i bought at the store. the kid selling me the stuff was knowledgeable and helped me put together a few things. he looked like he could slow jog up to the elk. he then handed me off to a smoking hot lady up front that dug up a coupon code for me..win!! the experience was on par with 90% of my retail experiences.. the owner did ask me how i was doing and told me a few stories. he was busy, they were filming a hunting show in the store. didn't recognize the TV personalities at all

i would love to see the Kifaru store just to say i've been there..and to buy some pixie dust. whatever they use to make my 60lb DT2 pack feel like 30!!

 

[2ski]

I would worry about what kind of staff they can keep in the store(s). The biggest problem I have with most retail outdoors (and a lot of others) is the salespeople are not knowledgeable at all about the products. The people that are the most helpful are other hunters, and at crunch time they are the same people that want to be prepping their gear, scouting, or hunting once the season gets rolling. Also, most decent types are not willing to work for what retail sales floor can realistically pay. Will they pay their floor salespeople? $15/hr, $20/hr, more? I'm sure they will attract some with moderate pay and good perks (hunts, discounts) but I worry it won't be long before you have the stores filled with fanboys that have the rams head tattooed on their d*ck who can't give any useful information, just pimp the product. Most guys/gals in their 20s-30s plus aren't willing to grind out a retail job for $40-$50k/yr without benefits (maybe they have benefits, IDK). With one store this might not happen but if they keep expanding and given enough time it is at risk for eroding. Patchwork part timers is tough to manage from a personnel standpoint.

Best of luck to them but I can't say I will buy any more or less of their products if they open a store in Denver.

Retail pays about half of what you're thinking. More like 25k per year. And they'll get the same kind of people that work in an archery shop. I wouldn't expect that an archery shop offers benefits or pays more that 30k per year.

 

[tipsntails7]

Retail pays about half of what you're thinking. More like 25k per year. And they'll get the same kind of people that work in an archery shop. I wouldn't expect that an archery shop offers benefits or pays more that 30k per year.

I'd keel over dead if an archery shop payed a tech that much.

If they could swing 40K plus commission, some guys would probably jump on that, if nothing else to say they work at kuiu.


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[Nomad]

but I worry it won't be long before you have the stores filled with fanboys that have the rams head tattooed on their d*ck who can't give any useful information, just pimp the product.

lol

 

[2ski]

I'd keel over dead if an archery shop payed a tech that much.

If they could swing 40K plus commission, some guys would probably jump on that, if nothing else to say they work at kuiu.


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I've seen people on here post before that have said they work in an archery shop in Bozeman. I'll put $20 down that none of them say they make $20 per hour.

 

[bounds]

I think there's a big point to this that hasn't been mentioned. Everyone is talking about how retail is failing. Kuiu opening brick and mortar stores/showrooms is not really retail. He's going to be producing product either way, so this is just a more visible outlet for people who don't spend much time researching online like most of us. I think we forget how much of a niche/small crowd we are.

On another note that hasn't been talked about, how awesome is it that Jason is Adviser to Secretary of the Interior. I have no idea how influential that role is but things like this are what we need as hunters. You may not like everything about him or Kuiu, but it's awesome that we have someone with our same mindset towards hunting, the backcountry and public lands having a voice at that level.

Last thing, I couldn't agree more with the Chevy/Ford comment that was made. I'm a gear head as much as anybody here, and I've even worked for one of the companies that we all talk about everyday. But we've got too much of an uphill battle as a group to get so wrapped up in a constant pissin match over who makes the best gear and why the others suck or shouldn't get anyone's business. I lump myself in this conversation too. I'm as prone to it as the next guy, but as with other stuff in life, if I put more of my effort and time into the bigger picture, I'd be a lot better off. Yeah we don't always agree with a business decision someone else makes or how they occasionally come across publicly (not just Jason/Kuiu), but I bet any one of us would have a blast sharing hunting camp with anyone else in this industry that loves to hunt as much as we do.