169-year-old outdoor retail chain announces 36 store closures

Core Insights - The U.S. retail sector is facing significant challenges due to newly imposed tariffs, weaker consumer spending, and rising costs, leading to a wave of store closures [1][10] - Orvis, a well-known outdoor and lifestyle brand, plans to permanently close 36 locations in 2026 as part of a strategy to refocus on its core identity as a fly-fishing and hunting brand [2][3] Company-Specific Developments - Orvis will close 31 stores and five outlets, aiming to return to its roots and enhance its commitment to innovation and community [2][3] - The company has previously made significant cuts, including laying off 112 employees (8% of its workforce) in 2024 and an additional 50 employees (4% of its workforce) in June 2025 [5] - Orvis operates around 80 stores in the U.S. and has a network of over 550 independent dealers [4] Industry Trends - The retail industry is experiencing a concerning trend of mass closures, with announced store closures in 2025 up 67% compared to the previous year [9] - As of July 4, nearly 6,000 retail closures have been reported nationwide, significantly outpacing just over 4,000 new openings [10] - The National Retail Federation projects retail sales growth of 2.7% to 3.7% in 2025, a slowdown from 3.6% in 2024 [8]