EMS closing down?

[rocketsocks]

My local store made last years cut, and I got some pretty good deals on consolidated inventory that came in from other stores and online. Sounds like it's time to stock up on some favorites.

[mattjv89]

Sounds like some of the stores will remain open since the article mentions saving 1,900 jobs? Details are a little thin as to how this will be resolved. I won't be a bit surprised if the Rutland VT location gets it on this round of closings though, I was actually surprised they did stay open through the first round of bankruptcy. The entire mall it's housed in is struggling I can't imagine the store doing much better.

[blue indian]

Not directly related to EMS, but I thought it was relative

the Half Moon Outfitters in Atlanta is closing their store as well...

[NY HIKER 50]

Sounds like some of the stores will remain open since the article mentions saving 1,900 jobs? Details are a little thin as to how this will be resolved. I won't be a bit surprised if the Rutland VT location gets it on this round of closings though, I was actually surprised they did stay open through the first round of bankruptcy. The entire mall it's housed in is struggling I can't imagine the store doing much better.

According to some news sources, the days of malls may be numbered as well. Let's face it, Sears is gone, Macy's is closing and many other stores are going bye bye as well. It is because of online sales. Better to get your going out of business sales and just move to the next place. As I've said before, I really have no brand loyalty. How many stoves or t-shirts do you really need?

[Cheyou]

According to some news sources, the days of malls may be numbered as well. Let's face it, Sears is gone, Macy's is closing and many other stores are going bye bye as well. It is because of online sales. Better to get your going out of business sales and just move to the next place. ,no As I've said before, I really have no brand loyalty. How many stoves or t-shirts do you really need?

No brand loyalty? So you don't buy the same frozen food brand or soda , beer tea, coffee , tooth paste , wine , pants ? Honestly ;0)

[Traveler]

According to some news sources, the days of malls may be numbered as well. Let's face it, Sears is gone, Macy's is closing and many other stores are going bye bye as well. It is because of online sales. Better to get your going out of business sales and just move to the next place. As I've said before, I really have no brand loyalty. How many stoves or t-shirts do you really need?

The better question would be, how many stoves or t-shirts would you like to look at closely before you purchase? While you can look at stoves via internet shopping and shipping, getting them sometimes reveals things about them you don't like and would have discarded them at the store in favor of another. This can potentially take weeks if trial and error shopping is used.

I much prefer to see some selection and be able to look them over to compare features as you can in brick and mortar stores.

[rafe]

I much prefer to see some selection and be able to look them over to compare features as you can in brick and mortar stores.

Even better, hit the trail and watch what other hikers are using, wearing or carrying. That's not to say you must do as they do. But that's really where it matters, not inside a store, even a brick-and-mortar store.

I was amazed, years ago, to see people un-boxing their shiny new stoves, firing them up for the very first time, on the first evening of a thru hike. I wanted to say something but didn't. They were nice folks. Not at all nuts.

[The Scribe]

There are EMS stores that are still open - maybe not near you, but EMS does still have retail locations.

Portland, Maine is still open.

[Thinspace]

In my immediate area in NH, Manchester, Salem, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Concord, Nashua and North Conway are still open

[Doc]

Portland, Maine is still open.

Thanks. I plan to stop in this week but the techno-music drives me crazy. They are certainly looking for a different demographic than this old hiker.

[full conditions]

I have no brand loyalty. In fact, I have the opposite. I'm a brand traitor. One week I'll buy Nantahala brand ale then I'll turn around and drink Highland Gaelic Ale without a second thought.

[-Rush-]

I love brick and mortar stores, but I rarely go to them anymore if I can find it online. The other day I wanted a water bottle sling, so I thought I'd make a pit-stop by before my hike. I went to REI and they had nothing except $60 "runner" gear (yes, runners pay stupid markup to look fancy), so I left there and went across the street to Dick's Sporting Goods which is bigger than REI. They had nothing. I wasted at least 30 minutes of my life/hike looking for something in stores that should have carried it. When I got home I found exactly what I needed in 5 minutes for $7.99.

[rocketsocks]

I love brick and mortar stores, but I rarely go to them anymore if I can find it online. The other day I wanted a water bottle sling, so I thought I'd make a pit-stop by before my hike. I went to REI and they had nothing except $60 "runner" gear (yes, runners pay stupid markup to look fancy), so I left there and went across the street to Dick's Sporting Goods which is bigger than REI. They had nothing. I wasted at least 30 minutes of my life/hike looking for something in stores that should have carried it. When I got home I found exactly what I needed in 5 minutes for $7.99.

ironic isn't it, we shop on line and can't find in stores what we want and wonder why.

[colorado_rob]

ironic isn't it, we shop on line and can't find in stores what we want and wonder why.

I don't wonder why, nor should anyone else. It's a catch 22 thing... better selection and lower prices online reduce demand for brick and mortar store items, forcing them to carry fewer items and not enable them to compete with pricing, so they get less and less desirable to shop at and it all snowballs. REI has somehow managed to survive and thrive with their awesome customer service and their size/sale volume allows them to compete, plus their "co-op" concept and dividend thing.

I do miss good old EMS here in Colorado, I used to make the extra drive to shop there (REI's were closer to my house). I bought and thoroughly wore out a number of their items, including one of my favorite all-time technical mountaineering jackets and pants.

Here's me (in yellow EMS jacket, you can just see the logo if you zoom) wearing or carrying a bunch of EMS items.

[rocketsocks]

I don't wonder why, nor should anyone else. It's a catch 22 thing... better selection and lower prices online reduce demand for brick and mortar store items, forcing them to carry fewer items and not enable them to compete with pricing, so they get less and less desirable to shop at and it all snowballs. REI has somehow managed to survive and thrive with their awesome customer service and their size/sale volume allows them to compete, plus their "co-op" concept and dividend thing.

I do miss good old EMS here in Colorado, I used to make the extra drive to shop there (REI's were closer to my house). I bought and thoroughly wore out a number of their items, including one of my favorite all-time technical mountaineering jackets and pants.

Here's me (in yellow EMS jacket, you can just see the logo if you zoom) wearing or carrying a bunch of EMS items.

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