For outdoor specialty retailer Backcountry North in Traverse City, Michigan, boating on Lake Michigan is a huge draw.

The store sells canoes and kayaks that are appropriate for big, open water, and doesn’t deal in lower price-point boats.

Owner Tracy Mayer considers her customer base as more advanced than a typical sporting goods store and offers products to cater to that elevated skill level.

In addition to boats, Backcountry North specializes in roof racks, backcountry gear, apparel, footwear, and travel supplies.

The business has been around since 1978 and operates a 2,500-square-foot store in downtown Traverse City as well as a location a few miles away that’s more than 8,000 square feet.

Mayer is also board chair for the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance.

Mayer spoke with The Daily about her approach to customers, what’s working, PFAS, and the overall business picture for the year.

Sales Should Be Up For 2024

Although Michigan has had a poor winter season, Mayer expects Backcountry North to post sales numbers slightly better than last year.

The weather in Michigan has been the worst in terms of lack of snowfall that Mayer can remember, with very little snow in northern Michigan.

Aside from the categories that typically rely on cold weather to boost sales, Backcountry North is doing well, she said.

Tracy Mayer of Backcountry North. Photo courtesy of Backcountry North.

“We saw a little softness at the beginning of the year, especially in February, because we didn’t have the weather,” Mayer added. “But overall, I am expecting that the business will be at least as good as last year and probably increase.”

Mayer estimates sales will be up in the single-digit percentages, possibly as high as a 10% increase from last year.

Exciting Products Sell at Full Price

The store prides itself on having exciting new products that it sells at full price.

“I stay away from things that are constantly discounted,” Mayer said.

Photo courtesy of Backcountry North.

Retailers that have always attracted customers by offering promotions and discounts are in a different “boat” than Backcountry North, Mayer added.

“Our goal is to find a product that is a good value,” she said. That means no matter the price, the merchandise is exciting and attractive.

“I actually find that customers don’t buy things from me when they’re on sale,” Mayer said. “The reason they’re on sale is because they didn’t sell. No one wants stuff that didn’t sell.”

Customers want the best price, but “they want what they want,” she added.

Mayer mentioned brands that customers are willing to pay full price for, including Patagonia and Vuori. Also popular in the store are Western Mountaineering sleeping bags and Osprey backpacks.

“We’ve been doing this for a very long time, and my staff is very involved with customers and seeing what’s selling and watching the trends,” she added. “It’s our job as retailers to do a good job doing that.”

Retailer as Tastemaker

Backcountry North has been in business for as long or longer than many of the popular outdoor brands on the market today.

Mayer views the company’s role as a trendsetter that takes chances on up-and-coming brands. For one, it was carrying Vuori several years ago when the brand had a very limited line.

Take Benchmade knives as another example.

One of Mayer’s previous business partners was a big knife fan, and the store started carrying the brand early.

Photo courtesy of Backcountry North.

Now Backcountry North is known as a good place to go if a customer is looking for the hottest new offering from the brand, according to Mayer.

“Those are the relationships we build with brands,” she said.

Another example is the apparel and outerwear brand Norrøna, which isn’t “new and hot” for Backcountry North, but the store has been helping to build it in the local market for at least five years.

In the region, Backcountry North was one of the early stores to sell apparel brand Stio when it went from DTC to wholesale. It was also carrying Howler Brothers, Rab, and other brands early on that have grown much larger in the market.

Other smaller brands that the store carries include non-down insulated jacket brand Save The Duck and women’s workwear brand Dovetail.

Roof Rack Business

Roof rack installations have been a success for the business and something it’s known for, according to Mayer. People drive up from Chicago or down from the Upper Peninsula to get Backcountry North service.

The store takes appointments and drop-offs. If a customer buys a full roof rack system the installation is free, and they often buy a kayak or a rooftop box with the rack. “It’s not a low-ticket sale,” Mayer said.

Michigan customers aren’t often using their roof racks to go overlanding as much as they are exploring water to kayak and paddleboard. There’s also the family camping element, where a rooftop box adds more gear storage for a road trip.

Adjusting to PFAS Regulations

For the brands and products that contain PFAS, Backcountry North has been working with the reps to understand what the brands’ process is, and which products are moving away from it and the timeline. Operating in Michigan, the store pays close attention to water-resistant outerwear.

“We’re making sure that we have inventory now because I can’t run out of rainwear,” Mayer said.

Photo courtesy of Backcountry North.

So far they haven’t had any trouble getting product that has been affected by supply chain disruptions or production facility delays due to the PFAS regulations, according to Mayer.

The store makes sure customers are informed if the product contains PFAS. Shoppers have had different reactions, Mayer said, ranging from wanting to buy a jacket now because they know it works well to wanting to wait until the PFAS-free version comes out.

“If we’re armed with the knowledge and correct inventory management and are honest with our customers, we’re navigating it just fine,” she added.

Considering Consignment

Although her staffers are presenting her with good ideas to add more products to her store, “I’m out of space,” Mayer said.

She is considering adding consignment for a used-gear component to the store – they’ve done consignment as once-a-year sales – but Backcountry North needs more room to do it.

Mayer sees a consignment business almost like opening an entire new store in terms of effort, money, and organization.

“Our good outdoor product lasts forever, just no one knows what to do with that stuff,” Mayer said. “If we had an outlet for that when our customers want to upgrade … we’re always looking at how we can do that in a more permanent way.”