Lubbock To Lose 50 Year Old Local Retailer Amid String Of Closures

Lubbock's The Outdoorsman (6602 Slide Rd # 3) will close permanently in early 2025 after a remarkable 50 years in business.

The retailer announced the decision on their Facebook page.  The last day of business will be January 30, 2025, and The Outdoorsman will have huge 50%- 75% off sales to reduce inventory.

The Outdoorsman is a family-owned, local Lubbock business, but after a series of personal losses and a change in the retail climate, they have simply decided that this season of their lives is coming to a close.

The Outdoorsman isn't alone- many other local Lubbock retailers have thrown in the towel as consumer spending habits change, and as folks navigate a tough economy.

In the Facebook post, The Outdoorsman proprietors shared that the business began with their outdoor-loving Dad who passed in April 2021. He was followed shortly thereafter by their mother, who passed in December 2022, leaving the kids to take over the store.

The Outdoorsman also wanted their customers to know that the decision to close was a tough and emotional one, "and one we wish we didn’t have to make." They described their customers, vendors, and employees as family, a sentiment that is sadly lost in an online shopping world.

The Outdoorsman also encouraged Lubbock folks to shop small for the upcoming holiday season, so that other local businesses don't have to make the same difficult decision.

I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage that practice as well, even if you only set aside some of your holiday shopping budget for local businesses. It truly makes a huge impact, both on our local economy (local dollars stay here, instead of evaporating to New York or California) and it keeps our Lubbock friends and neighbors' dreams alive.

I shudder to think of a time when we will no longer be able to buy things in person- to no longer try things on, feel or see the quality, or to get advice from a real person who knows their stuff. Because in a world without local, the quality of everything will go down.