Wikipedia

The Sportsman's Guide

Sportsman's Guide is an online retailer of hunting and fishing gear, military surplus, ammunition, and outdoor sporting goods. Founded by Gary Olen in 1970, its first catalog was mailed in 1976.

Sportsman's Guide
Company type
Subsidiary
IndustryInternet & Retail
Founded1970; 56 years ago (1970)
FounderGary Olen
Headquarters411 Farwell Avenue, South St. Paul, MN 55075,
South St. Paul, Minnesota
,
USA
Area served
North America, South America, Europe & Asia Pacific
ProductsClothing, outdoor gear, ammunition, shooting supplies
ServicesOnline and catalog retailer; liquidation store attached to headquarters.
OwnerBHG Ventures
Websitewww.sportsmansguide.com

Based in South St. Paul, Minnesota, the company reportedly employed about 700 people in 2012.[1] The Sportsman's Guide catalog website and retail store all operate from the 330,000-square-foot building located on Farwell Avenue.

History

edit

Sportsman's Guide was founded by Gary Olen, getting its start in his basement in the winter of 1970. The first product, a patch for hunting jackets detailing the previous year's trophy success, immediately proved popular with hunters across the country.

The first Sportsman's Guide catalog was just one page, and it was delivered at the time of the opening of the hunting season in 1977. By 1992, The Guide was mailing eight outdoor gear and clothing catalogs annually, and by 2012, the number had risen to 63. [citation needed]

In 2006, it was acquired by the wholly-owned American subsidiary of the Redcats group, which is the home-shopping group owned by French luxury and distribution group PPR.[2] Six years later, when it was purchased by Northern Tool + Equipment and no job cuts were expected, new jobs were anticipated.[3]

In August 2021, it was announced that The Guide had been acquired by the Southfield, Michigan-based private investment firm BHG Ventures.[4]

Private Label Brands

edit

Sportsman's Guide also has several private label brands made up of items designed and sourced by company team members: Bolderton, Guide Gear, HuntRite, Castlecreek, and HQ ISSUE.[5][6]

Buyer’s Club

edit

Sportsman's Guide Buyer's Club Advantage Catalog was introduced in January 1995. Members pay an annual fee to receive various discounts and other benefits.[7]

Criticisms

edit

Multiple criticisms arose for the quality of the products sold, such as: torn seams, dented products, products full of mildew, etc.[8]

Criticisms also arose for the customer service quality, such as revoking the Buyer's Club discount on ammo for buying in bulk quantities.[9]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ↑ Omastiak, Rebecca. “The Sportsman’s Guide Caters to Survivalists with New Products”. Twin Cities Business Magazine. 2013-4-3. Link: http://tcbmag.com/News/Recent-News/2013/April/The-Sportsmans-Guide-Launches-Survival-Gear-to-Gr
  2. ↑ "PPR's Redcats Acquires Sportsman's Guide".
  3. ↑ "Northern Tool + Equipment Enters Agreement to Acquire the Sportsman's Guide and the Golf Warehouse" (Press release). 8 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "BHG Ventures in Southfield Acquires Sportsman's Guide and The Golf Warehouse". DBusiness. Retrieved 2025-11-07.
  5. ↑ The Sportsman’s Guide Launches New Private Label Home Product Line. PRWeb. 2012-12-6. Link:
  6. ↑ The Sportsman’s Guide Launches Military-Inspired HQ ISSUE™ Brand. MilitarySpot.com. 2012-12-13. Link: http://www.militaryspot.com/news/the-sportsmans-guide-launches-military-inspired-hq-issue-brand/
  7. ↑ Buyer's Club, sportsmansguide.com
  8. ↑ "Sportsman's Guide. I'm Done". Bushcraft USA Forums. 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  9. ↑ "Sportsman's Guide Buyer's Club complaint/rant - The Firing Line Forums". thefiringline.com. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sportsman%27s_Guide&oldid=1359571478"