A direct-to-consumer fishing and outdoor brand is making its foray into brick-and-mortar retail with a newly opened store in Texas, with plans to open even more U.S. stores as it looks to hook more customers.
Karl's Fishing & Outdoors opened its 2,500-square-foot store at 1621 River Run in WestBend, a 278,000-square-foot mixed-use property in Fort Worth, with plans to offer its in-person clientele an "immersive and memorable retail experience" for the novice and seasoned anglers. The shop is designed with interactive, tech-enabled experiences to demonstrate fish-catching products and displays allowing shoppers to touch and feel bait, as well as see how they act underwater.
By opening the company's first Karl's Fishing & Outdoors store, it takes the company's mission to "the next level by creating a shared space for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to connect" and learn about new products, said Ross Gordon, founder and CEO of Chicago-based Catch Co., the decade-old parent company of Karl's Fishing & Outdoors.
Karl's Fishing & Outdoors isn't the only e-commerce brand turning to brick-and-mortar retail to grow its business. Other digitally native retailers, including Warby Parker and Bonobos, already having a storefront presence in Dallas-Fort Worth and elsewhere.
By having a storefront, digital retail brands can engage with existing customers and lure new customers to their products in a way they are often unable to do online. According to consulting firm McKinsey & Co., digital native brands open brick-and-mortar locations to access to new consumers through another distribution channel.
The Karl's brand expects to host fishing lessons as well as philanthropic events and entertainment at its new store, which sits along the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
From rods to reels and tackle to tools, Karl's Fishing & Outdoors' new flagship store expects to offer an experience not typically seen in the outdoor retail category.
Teeg Stouffer, Catch Co.'s director of retail experience, said the simple design and tech-enhanced features make it "an intimidation-free shopping experience," even for those new to fishing or outdoor activities.
The digitally native fishing shop plans to open a second store at Mall of America in Minneapolis by the end of the year, with additional U.S. stores to follow in the future.