Next Adventure, a beloved Portland-based outdoor store, will be closing all four of its store locations by the fall, after 28 years in business, KOIN reported. The decision follows the retirement announcement from co-owners and childhood friends Deek Heykamp and Bryan Knudsen.
“We’ve been in business for 28 years, and we’ve loved every minute of it and loved Portland,” Deek Heykamp told Willamette Week. “You come to a point in your business life where you have to make a decision, and we decided to retire.”
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Founded in 1997, Next Adventure grew into a major local retail success, employing nearly 200 people and generating $24 million in annual sales at its peak.
The closures will affect all four locations: the flagship headquarters in Portland's Central Eastside, a smaller store in Sandy and its paddle centers in Portland and Warren.
“It has been the joy of my life to be part of such a great industry and work with our wonderful customers. While retirement sounds pretty amazing right now, I will truly miss the camaraderie and community that we have built together. Thank you, Portland, for a great run,” said Heykamp.
{{/usCountry}}“It has been the joy of my life to be part of such a great industry and work with our wonderful customers. While retirement sounds pretty amazing right now, I will truly miss the camaraderie and community that we have built together. Thank you, Portland, for a great run,” said Heykamp.
{{/usCountry}}Heykamp also revealed that while there was interest from potential buyers, none of the offers ultimately worked out. However, they are still open to selling parts of the business.
“We are both so passionate about going out and finding deals and then hooking up our customers with the right product to get out on their adventures,” Heykamp said. “This sale is going to be exactly that. We’re going to have crazy deals, and it’s going to be fun.”
Starting May 28, Next Adventure will launch a storewide closing sale of its entire inventory. The sale is expected to continue into the summer.