Orvis Company Announces Major Store Closure Plan: 31 Stores and 5 Outlets to Close by 2026
The Vermont based outdoor retailer Orvis announced plans to close 31 stores and five outlets by early 2026, representing nearly half its stores in a major restructuring of the company’s physical store presence. President Simon Perkins cited an “unprecedented tariff landscape” as a key factor driving this significant decision that will affect locations nationwide.
The sporting goods chain Orvis, known for fly fishing equipment and outdoor lifestyle products, currently operates 70 retail stores across the United States. This closure represents one of the largest retail consolidations in the outdoor recreation industry in recent years.
What This Guide Covers
This comprehensive overview examines the complete closure timeline, affected locations, company reasoning behind the decision, and practical implications for customers and employees. We’ll explore what this means for the future of the Orvis brand and how customers can adapt to these changes.
Who This Is For
This guide is designed for Orvis customers, current employees, investors, and communities with Orvis retail stores. Whether you’re a regular shopper at local Orvis stores or part of the broader angling and upland communities, you’ll find essential information about this major transition.
Why This Matters
This restructuring affects a 168-year-old company that has been a cornerstone of the fly fishing and outdoor recreation industry. The decision represents a strategic pivot that will impact how thousands of customers access premium outdoor gear and how the company serves its core angling and upland communities going forward.
What You’ll Learn:
- Specific closure timeline and affected store locations
- Economic and strategic reasons behind Orvis’s decision
- How the company plans to refocus on fly fishing and wingshooting
- What customers should expect during the transition period
Understanding Orvis’s Store Closure Decision
Orvis has been a Vermont based company serving outdoor enthusiasts since 1856, evolving from a small fly fishing equipment store to a major sporting goods chain with a broad lifestyle brand presence.
The company currently operates 70 stores nationwide plus partnerships with over 550 retail partners including Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and Sportsman’s Warehouse. Orvis employs approximately 1,500 people across the United States, though how many employees will be affected by the closures remains undisclosed.
This announcement marks a significant shift for a company that has done an exceptional job embodying premium outdoor retail for nearly two centuries.
Economic Pressures Behind the Decision
President Simon Perkins cited the “unprecedented tariff landscape” as a primary factor forcing this strategic restructuring. The Orvis business model faced mounting pressure from international trade policies affecting imported outdoor gear and equipment.
Rising operational costs for physical retail locations, combined with changing consumer shopping patterns, created additional economic challenges. The company determined that maintaining its current extensive retail footprint was no longer sustainable under these economic conditions.
Strategic Refocus on Core Business
This exciting new chapter represents a deliberate return to the company’s roots in fly fishing and wingshooting equipment. Orvis plans to lead in innovation serve our angling and upland communities more effectively by concentrating resources on core product lines.
The restructuring will reduce focus on broader lifestyle offerings like sportswear fine gifts home furnishings luggage and travel accessories. Instead, the company will prioritize its heritage strengths in fly fishing retailer operations and specialized outdoor equipment.
Transition: This strategic pivot requires a carefully planned timeline to minimize disruption to customers and communities.
Closure Timeline and Affected Locations
The company announced plans to complete all 36 location closures (31 retail stores and five outlet locations) by early 2026, though specific store identification will be announced in phases starting in early 2025.
Geographic Impact
The closures will affect locations nationwide, with confirmed impacts in New York state including three Orvis retail stores: the Millbrook New York City location, the NYC Fifth Avenue flagship, and the Williamsville store in upstate New York.
Emily Barnes reports from USA Today Network’s coverage indicate that these three retail stores in New York represent significant members of the Orvis retail network, particularly the Hudson Valley location in Dutchess County and the prominent Fifth Avenue presence.
The York Connect team and other regional operations will need to coordinate the transition for customers across affected areas.
Employee and Community Impact
While Orvis employs 1,500 significant members across its operations, the company has not disclosed how many employees will be affected by the store closures. However, management praised staff who have “done an exceptional job embodying the Orvis brand and core values.”
The company emphasized its commitment to local communities and the Orvis family of employees throughout this transition period.
Transition: Understanding the timeline helps customers and communities prepare for the practical implications of these changes.
What This Means for Customers and Communities
The closure of nearly half its stores will fundamentally change how customers access Orvis products and services, requiring adaptation to new shopping patterns and service delivery methods.
Shopping and Service Changes
Customers will need to transition primarily to online shopping and the remaining retail stores that will continue operations. The company’s partnerships with Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and Sportsman’s Warehouse will become increasingly important for customers seeking in-person shopping experiences.
Product offerings will shift toward core fly fishing equipment and wingshooting gear, with reduced availability of lifestyle apparel and home furnishing lines. Fine gifts and travel accessories may become primarily online-only offerings.
Service centers and warranty support will continue through remaining locations and online channels, ensuring customer support continuity.
Timeline for Customers
- Early 2025: Official announcement of specific closing locations
- Mid-2025: Store closure sales and inventory liquidation begin
- Late 2025-Early 2026: Final store closures completed
- Ongoing: Transition to alternative shopping through remaining stores, online, and retail partners
Key Points:
- Online shopping will become the primary channel for most customers
- Remaining stores will focus on premium fly fishing and hunting equipment
- Retail partnerships will expand to maintain geographic coverage
Transition: Customers naturally have questions about how these changes will affect their specific situations.
Common Questions and Concerns
The announcement has generated numerous questions from the angling and upland communities about practical implications for their shopping and service needs.
Question: Will my local Orvis store close?
Solution: Monitor the Orvis website and official communications for the specific closure list expected in early 2025.
The company will announce affected locations in phases, allowing customers time to plan for alternative shopping arrangements.
Question: What happens to existing warranties and services?
Solution: Orvis has committed to honoring all warranties through remaining locations and online support channels.
Service centers will continue operations, and the company plans to streamline operations to maintain customer support quality.
Question: Will there be clearance sales at closing stores?
Solution: Expect significant clearance sales at closing locations as inventory is liquidated throughout 2025.
Time purchases strategically during closure sales for the best deals on outdoor gear and equipment.
Transition: Understanding these changes helps customers prepare for Orvis’s new business direction.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Orvis’s decision to close 31 stores and five outlets represents a strategic pivot toward building a more durable brand focused on its core strengths in fly fishing and wingshooting. This major retail chain consolidation reflects broader industry trends while positioning the company to better serve its traditional customer base and protect wild places through focused innovation.
To stay informed:
- Check the Orvis website regularly for official closure announcements
- Sign up for company communications about the new strategic direction
- Identify alternative shopping locations through retail partners
Related Topics: This restructuring connects to broader trends in outdoor retail consolidation, the impact of tariffs on specialty retailers, and the evolution of brick-and-mortar sporting goods stores in the digital age.
