St. Louis-Based Alpine Shop Acquires Fifth Outdoor Retail Location

Alpine Shop Owners Russell "Holly" & Lisa Hollenbeck.
Alpine Shop Owners Russell “Holly” & Lisa Hollenbeck.

Sign Letter of Intent to Purchase The Pathfinder in Manhattan, Kansas

ST. LOUIS – Alpine Shop, a St. Louis-based and family-owned outdoor retailer, has signed a letter of intent to purchase The Pathfinder, a specialty outdoor store in Manhattan, Kan., according to Alpine Shop’s owners, Russell “Holly” and Lisa Hollenbeck. As the fifth location for Alpine Shop, The Pathfinder will remain open during the transition period and will retain its name.

Bill and Erma Riley opened The Pathfinder, a single-store operation, in 1975, to bring to life their desire to help Kansans enjoy outdoor experiences as much as they did. Specializing in gear and clothing for bicycling, backpacking, paddling, climbing, traveling, fly fishing and other outdoor activities, they celebrated 40 years in business earlier this year.

Alpine Shop's Newest Location: The Pathfinder in Manhattan, Kansas
Alpine Shop’s Newest Location: The Pathfinder in Manhattan, Kansas

“We’re excited to be entering the Manhattan market with the purchase of The Pathfinder,” Russell Hollenbeck said. “When we entered the store for the first time, we immediately felt like we were walking into one of our own stores. That’s not something we take lightly. What Bill and Erma have created over the past 40 years here resonated with Lisa and me, and we’re looking forward to continuing that tradition.”

“Erma and I are delighted that our long time customers will continue to enjoy quality outdoor products and service with Alpine Shop ownership,” The Pathfinder’s owner, Bill Riley said. “Lisa and Holly Hollenbeck are known to give very personal attention to maintaining high professional standards. We appreciate their high credibility in our outdoor industry and their many years of building successful customer relationships. We are confident our Manhattan area customers will be well satisfied with this transition.”

The Pathfinder will become the Hollenbecks’ fifth retail store in early November, joining three Alpine Shop locations in Missouri and one in Illinois.

About Alpine Shop
What began in 1973 as a small climbing shop in Webster Groves, Mo., Alpine Shop now serves almost every type of outdoor enthusiast from backpackers, hikers, campers, paddlers, and cyclists, to snowboarders, skiers and adventure racers. The family-owned specialty outdoor retailer has consistently been named the Best Sporting Goods store in St. Louis for the past five years and also earned a 2012 national retailer of the year honor for its commitment to growth in outdoor sports.

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The Pathfinder already carries many of the brands that Alpine Shop has helped make popular in the St. Louis area like The North Face, and Patagonia.
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The Pathfinder already has a thriving bike business.
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The Pathfinder, like Alpine Shop Kirkwood, is a Specialized Bike Dealer.