Kuiu Article

whaack

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The retail stores that are failing do ot provide any value other than a place to buy products.
Gander/cabelas/sports authority etc...i can just buy the product online after researching...most likely cheaper.
Scheels on the other hand is expanding constantly building stores every year.
Many reasons why Scheels is successful but most important is the staff.
Go to Scheels and talk to anyone in any department and they have a passion for that sport/hunting/fishing.
Having a sales staff paid on commission and that uses the products all the time makes sense.
I hope Kuiu hires experts in the field and pays them well. That will make them successful.

I've only been to one Scheels but that was my experience. The archery staff was shockingly knowledgeable and helpful.
 

Shrek

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Its the exact opposite Patrick Smith has done with his Co by keeping it a Mom and Pop shop-- he built a brand but essentially carved out a good job for himself with no exit strategy..

Patrick Smith had already built and sold MountainSmith. Kifaru was his creative and business outlet in semi retirement. Patrick resisted Kifaru getting big. It was also a jobs program for his family which keeps them close. If Patrick wanted Kifaru to grow large he could have made that happen. Patrick is a true pioneer of the industry and a really decent guy.

Btw , I hope Kuiu builds a ton of ball and chain stores !
 

16Bore

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Hunting has gone down the golf/country club road. Dudes will spend $600 on a driver that adds 15 yards but nobody can friggin putt....
 

IdahoElk

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Hunting has gone down the golf/country club road. Dudes will spend $600 on a driver that adds 15 yards but nobody can friggin putt....

I don't know,up until 5yrs ago I was hunting in army surplus camo and was totally miserable when hit with bad or cold weather.Now I'm out in anything and don't worry about the weather which makes me hunt harder and longer.The money spent on high quality clothing has been well spent for its function,I rarely see another hunter the whole season so I don't get the whole fan boy thing?
To each his own.
 
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bivouaclarry

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Retail isn't dying, it's changing. Consumers are more educated and have more information at their fingertips than ever before. I won't bother with retail unless I have to. However, that doesn't mean its dead. Ever walk into an Apple Store? Packed! And they only sell Apple. I think this is the experience he will go for, not the Cabela's "Come get your bullets, meat grinder, bass rod, inflatable tube for your ski boot, home decor and some candied pecans" approach.
 

HookUp

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Specialty stores do just fine. The thought have having my hunting clothes tailored has me taking a look at KUIU, very innovative.
 
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The stoe in Denver will be huge. It will sell far more workout clothing than hunting gear before it is over.


KUIU has huge brand recognition in hunting now. A lot of guys here that were wearing walmart stuff 5 years ago at 3d shoots, are now wearing their rain gear when it rains. I've seen quite a few stickers in vehicle windows. Much more so than realtree or something like that. I predict when he hits Denver, he will develop clothes that cater to skiing and such as well. Won't be long before he is nestled somewhere in the east selling hunting clothes and gear as a side note. Will catering to the runners, hikers, skiers, backpackers, etc...




I haven't been on this site long enough to know why Jason has a bad rap with some people here. Whatever the reason for your feelings, he is the example of the American Dream. I have zero ill feelings toward him. I wish him the best and, expect him to do very well the next decade. God Bless men
 

HookUp

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The stoe in Denver will be huge. It will sell far more workout clothing than hunting gear before it is over.


KUIU has huge brand recognition in hunting now. A lot of guys here that were wearing walmart stuff 5 years ago at 3d shoots, are now wearing their rain gear when it rains. I've seen quite a few stickers in vehicle windows. Much more so than realtree or something like that. I predict when he hits Denver, he will develop clothes that cater to skiing and such as well. Won't be long before he is nestled somewhere in the east selling hunting clothes and gear as a side note. Will catering to the runners, hikers, skiers, backpackers, etc...

What your saying sounds great, but the reality check is Under Armour has hits the skids in the athletic work out clothes market with so much competition and the company is in panic mode. KUIU will stay in hunting and hunting themed workout clothes if they want to be successful long term.
 
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What any growing/thriving company MUST know is that there will be competition sprouting up in the form of imitators. The only way to counter them is to stay ahead of them in the eyes of actual and potential customers. It's about perception more than reality I believe. Sure...the quality and innovation must be there, but the main thing is that customers see the differentiation. To stop inventing, improving, innovating and growing is to be caught and surrounded by your imitators and knockoff companies building cheap lookalike products. Like them or don't....one thing KUIU has done very well is establish a brand, product line and marketing strategy which has given them an identity and us an alternative to the traditional manufacturer to retailer to consumer model.

Based on overall company growth and performance I would say the retail B&M store is a slam dunk in the Denver area.
 

16Bore

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Seams a tight market, pun intended. Not quite sure how many pairs of $200 camo pants a person is going to buy on a regular basis. But boutique products in a boutique location for a niche market might be the way....

I'm pretty sure there's a good reason for a Ralph Lauren store inside the Greenbrier Resort in WV.
 

sneaky

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The stoe in Denver will be huge. It will sell far more workout clothing than hunting gear before it is over.


KUIU has huge brand recognition in hunting now. A lot of guys here that were wearing walmart stuff 5 years ago at 3d shoots, are now wearing their rain gear when it rains. I've seen quite a few stickers in vehicle windows. Much more so than realtree or something like that. I predict when he hits Denver, he will develop clothes that cater to skiing and such as well. Won't be long before he is nestled somewhere in the east selling hunting clothes and gear as a side note. Will catering to the runners, hikers, skiers, backpackers, etc...




I haven't been on this site long enough to know why Jason has a bad rap with some people here. Whatever the reason for your feelings, he is the example of the American Dream. I have zero ill feelings toward him. I wish him the best and, expect him to do very well the next decade. God Bless men
Use the search function and you'll quickly understand why he has garnered the reputation that he has. You placing bets on him getting into the workout clothing segment? He's in s niche, but he wants to play in that space he's a small fry.

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sneaky

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I think there's a big point to this that hasn't been mentioned. Everyone is talking about how retail is failing. Kuiu opening brick and mortar stores/showrooms is not really retail. He's going to be producing product either way, so this is just a more visible outlet for people who don't spend much time researching online like most of us. I think we forget how much of a niche/small crowd we are.

On another note that hasn't been talked about, how awesome is it that Jason is Adviser to Secretary of the Interior. I have no idea how influential that role is but things like this are what we need as hunters. You may not like everything about him or Kuiu, but it's awesome that we have someone with our same mindset towards hunting, the backcountry and public lands having a voice at that level.

Last thing, I couldn't agree more with the Chevy/Ford comment that was made. I'm a gear head as much as anybody here, and I've even worked for one of the companies that we all talk about everyday. But we've got too much of an uphill battle as a group to get so wrapped up in a constant pissin match over who makes the best gear and why the others suck or shouldn't get anyone's business. I lump myself in this conversation too. I'm as prone to it as the next guy, but as with other stuff in life, if I put more of my effort and time into the bigger picture, I'd be a lot better off. Yeah we don't always agree with a business decision someone else makes or how they occasionally come across publicly (not just Jason/Kuiu), but I bet any one of us would have a blast sharing hunting camp with anyone else in this industry that loves to hunt as much as we do.
I hope and pray to God that he isn't the one representing hunters to the Secretary of the Interior. He's not who I want representing me in anything. Do your research and see who he pals around with, and what he has in common with you.

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I use the search function regularly, and all I can find is people telling people to do your research and use the search function. And oddly enough several threads where people say they love how nobody says "use the search button" that and a thread about him sueing eastmans because they lie about their subscription amounts... along with the sponsor drop issue...
everyone is entitled to their opinion but theres got to be a point where whatever grudge people have and what its based on comes to an end. its like the other thread going on about the NRA right now... and BHA... thad TRCP... or SCI, DU, NWTF.... half the people say they hate them for this reason, half the people say theyre better than sliced bread...

I like 16Bores joke about being a little tight... im 6'4" 250 on a good day... theyre shit makes me want jenny craig.
I like starbucks coffee even tho the companys politics aren't my cup of tea (pun intended)
and what Muley is about to say
Have you ever eaten at McDonald's?


the list of shity people that make a good product is longer than you or I want to see, and I would be willing to bet anyone that has something bad to say about someone else, is using a product in one way or another that makes them a hypocrite. like on JRE when he talked about the buddist that was spraying ants... that's cool man... you drew your line and you hate Jason Hairston, but as a business savy entrepreneur hes built 2 explosively successful companies from the ground up and you should at least respect that.

I hope and pray to God that he isn't the one representing hunters to the Secretary of the Interior. He's not who I want representing me in anything. Do your research and see who he pals around with, and what he has in common with you.

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Jason is the definition of the American Dream. I don't care what you think of him. I also don't care who you are, you buy products from people who followed so much worse practices. Have you ever eaten at McDonald's? Check out that story some time. That's just one example. You have bought a product from some company that has walked all over someone. We only come to know the companies that climbed to the top on someone elses shoulders.
 

16Bore

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Roy Crock was a real estate genius, just saying.

I wouldn't say Kuiu is the American Dream, but I'd say he sure is selling it. And like Ralph Lauren and the rest, he's selling an image. High performance clothes and tailoring have been around a long time. He's just positioned it with a pretty cool logo, good marketing, a cool ass camo pattern, and the dream that you too could be on this mountain with a dead goat.

Kinda like Ralph Lauren where you get the hot chick on a yacht, Range Rover, and mimosa's for breakfast everyday.

So sure, as a business guy, seeing a business where it appears a guy found a decent button to put his finger on, it's pretty cool.

But I ain't buying it, literally. Everything I've tried had been shit, starting with the Ultra 6k and several tops. That's me. I don't like Tommy Hilfigher either. That's OK too.

Clothes make the man, but they sure as hell don't make a hunter. It is what it is and nobody that owns it thats a fan is going to kick their own dog.

I don't like turnips either, but I'm sure there's a lot of nice turnip farmers out there.
 

IdahoElk

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Roy Crock was a real estate genius, just saying.

I wouldn't say Kuiu is the American Dream, but I'd say he sure is selling it. And like Ralph Lauren and the rest, he's selling an image. High performance clothes and tailoring have been around a long time. He's just positioned it with a pretty cool logo, good marketing, a cool ass camo pattern, and the dream that you too could be on this mountain with a dead goat.

Kinda like Ralph Lauren where you get the hot chick on a yacht, Range Rover, and mimosa's for breakfast everyday.

So sure, as a business guy, seeing a business where it appears a guy found a decent button to put his finger on, it's pretty cool.

But I ain't buying it, literally. Everything I've tried had been shit, starting with the Ultra 6k and several tops. That's me. I don't like Tommy Hilfigher either. That's OK too.

Clothes make the man, but they sure as hell don't make a hunter. It is what it is and nobody that owns it thats a fan is going to kick their own dog.

I don't like turnips either, but I'm sure there's a lot of nice turnip farmers out there.


Someone that has started two globally successful hunting gear companies didn't do it by selling shit no matter how good the marketing or logo as you imply.
If you don't like Kuiu,Fine but why the need to keep posting in a thread about a company and owner you obviously hate?
 
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