Summit Hut is closing

[azbackpackr]

The Summit Hut in Tucson, in business for over 50 years, is closing. The owners (2nd owners) say they can't compete in today's market.

They are having a huge sale, needless to say.

I'm sad about this, although I haven't lived in Tucson for a long time. I did buy some good stuff there over the years. I confess, that yes, in my early years in Tucson I also shopped at Bob's Bargain Barn and Popular, but Summit Hut outlasted them. Then REI came along, but by then I had moved away.

The original owner, Dave Baker, started the business in his garage when he was 15.

[SpiderLegs]

I'm going to guess that having Bass Pro Shops opening up next year wasn't a good omen.

Over the years I've worked at outdoor shops and bicycle shops. Both industries tend to attract dreamers with a romantic notion of owning a cool business. There is an old joke that if you want to be worth $1 million in the outdoor industry, you better start with $2 million.

When I worked at the outdoor shop in Phoenix, the retail side of the business broke even at best. Selling stuff to hikers, backpackers and climbers is a money losing proposition. That shop made its money selling specialty gear to riggers, SAR teams, first responders and the like. Then charging up to $1000 a day for a training class to show them what to do with the pallet of new equipment that they just bought.

It wasn't the Democrats, it wasn't Trump and it wasn't REI that did this. Simply a very tough business to be in unless you find a highly profitable niche that can support the front end retail side of the business.

[hikeaz]

@azbackpackr
Bob's was mentioned in The Monkey Wrench Gang book.

[TooOld2Hike_EP]

@SpiderLegs
In aviation the same joke is:

Q: How to you make a small fortune in aviation?
A: Start with a large one.

[Jim]

I think they had paper maps, which was nice. I haven't bought one in years, but still. Shoes: I buy online because it is easier. I bought a couple hundred dollars worth of clothes there over a decade ago. I was able to get better for cheaper at Kohls in 2022 and this year, since the manufacturer Summit Hut sold changed their fabrics and style, and possibly sizing. Royal Robbins, if anyone also had a similar concern with them. Fewer options is always bad for the consumer, assuming the consumer is still interested in purchasing, which it kind of sounds like they were not.

I'm just glad I was able to get my linen-cotton blend shorts in a 7 inch inseam, and for less than $15 a piece. Summit Hut didn't sell that kinds of clothing.

[LosDosSloFolks]

my linen-cotton blend shorts in a 7 inch inseam

Some say @Hansenaz used to get his 2" inseam shorts there. [ photo ]

[Jim]

@LosDosSloFolks Nah, those are definitely home made. Besides, 2 inches is a little short. Stuff can pop out when you least expect. Oh, and there is no linen in denim, and linen is much better in a humid climate.

[LosDosSloFolks]

@Jim
To be fair, I did all my Grand Canyon backpacking trips in the 70's in the same jean cut-offs...I just didn't allow photographic evidence to survive. :-)

[Jim]

@LosDosSloFolks
Yeah, it's a post cell camera world and you can't be too careful with who you chose to hike with. I suspect the only reason we don't have some x rated images on HAZ is because they get removed or would be if posted.

[chumley]

Jeans seem to be enjoying a renaissance in the hiking world based on some of the photos I see posted here on the Hazurwebs.

[LosDosSloFolks]

@chumley
At least "modern" jeans have some stretch. Still a no-go for me. Old Levis were so heavy and thick, but on a positive note they could air dry in just 48-72 hours.

[big_load]

Such disappointing news. I go to Summit Hut almost every time I go to Tucson, which averages a little over once per year. They usually have gear that you can't find at other brick-and-mortar vendors.

[Hansenaz]

@LosDosSloFolks
Greg, that's my friend Paul...I'm pretty sure I was more modest.
@SpiderLegs
Good point about SAR/Pros as the last remaining market for retail mountain stores these days. The rest of us got used to cheaper stuff. I spent my formative years in Boulder CO drooling over the pretty stuff, but mainly bought from the cheap place (REI mail-order at the time). I watch a Youtube guy who climbs and cuts down trees in Washington state. He's also got an on-line store for tree climbing equipment which he talks about. The prices seem exorbitant until you think about working 150' off the ground.

[Jim]

What exactly were people buying at Summit Hut that was hard to find elsewhere? Was it climbing gear? I've had a very narrow focus of hiking for a long time, and that requires little more than a pack and shoes you like, unless you're a barefoot guy. I'm not. Some of the "outdoor" stuff requires a lot of room to house, like a canoe, and some like bikes is sized to a person, so that requires room. Space was not something I remember Summit Hut having. Not at their OV location, at at least.

[big_load]

What exactly were people buying at Summit Hut that was hard to find elsewhere? Was it climbing gear? I've had a very narrow focus of hiking for a long time, and that requires little more than a pack and shoes you like, unless you're a barefoot guy. I'm not. Some of the "outdoor" stuff requires a lot of room to house, like a canoe, and some like bikes is sized to a person, so that requires room. Space was not something I remember Summit Hut having. Not at their OV location, at at least.

They carried ultralight hydration gear and cookware long before it was available at other retailers. It was the only vendor anywhere I recall seeing serious sun protection options back in the early 2000s.

[PatrickL]

Sad to hear they couldn't last. I bought my Western Mountaineering bag (not braggin') from them over a decade ago, still use it to this day.

[RedRoxx44]

Could see it coming, the stores seemed to change when REI came to town. More glitzy, more clothing oriented, the pack and cooking, water treatment sections seemed to shrink a little. And high prices. A shame since locally owned, and not like you can get stuff cheaper at REI or Sportsman. Like a lot of people I now get most of my stuff online.

[SpiderLegs]

There were lines out the door to save 30% and once you picked up some items people were commenting that it took 60-90 minutes to get the cash register. Based on the pricing that I saw when I was there two weeks ago, 30% puts Summit Hut at the same pricing as REI's multiple yearly sales and 10% less than REI's regular pricing. Or in reality puts the pricing in line with what you can find on Amazon every single day. So why people were wasting half a day standing in line is beyond me.

Some interesting comment on Reddit about the closure from current and ex-employees. The new owners wasted a lot of money and churned through a ton of employees. Appeared to be the kind of people that had a romantic notion about owning an outdoor shop without realizing that giant sucking sound was all of their money being removed from their wallet.

[azbackpackr]

@SpiderLegs
Meanwhile, the original owner is happily living in an exclusive enclave in the Rincons, and doing lots of outdoor stuff. He retired at a good moment, it seems.

[Jim]

He knew when to fold, as opposed to hold.