169-Year-Old Sporting Icon Hit With Brutal Reality That Has Outdoor Enthusiasts Furious
America’s oldest outdoor retailer just learned a harsh lesson about surviving in today’s economy.
The company weathered the Civil War, two World Wars, and the Great Depression without breaking a sweat.
But one modern challenge proved too much – and this 169-year-old outdoor sports icon just got hit with a brutal reality that has outdoor enthusiasts furious.
Historic outdoor brand forced into survival mode by crushing costs
The Orvis Company announced plans to shutter 36 locations by early 2026, delivering a devastating blow to outdoor enthusiasts across the country.
The Manchester, Vermont-based company has been in operation since 1856 and has been viewed as America’s premier destination for fly fishing gear for decades.
But after nearly two centuries of continuous operation, Orvis finds itself fighting for survival against economic pressures it didn’t expect when it shifted to overseas suppliers.
President Simon Perkins revealed the painful truth behind these closures in a company statement.
"Like many in retail, Orvis’ business model faced a sizable shift with the introduction of an unprecedented tariff landscape," Perkins explained.¹
The company will close 31 full retail stores and five outlet locations as it struggles to adapt to crushing new costs.
This represents a massive downsizing for a company specializing in the high-end fly flushing market that once seemed immune to economic pressures.
Small businesses caught in economic crossfire
Here’s what makes this situation particularly infuriating for anyone who understands how retail actually works.
Orvis operates through a network of more than 550 independent dealers nationwide.
We’re talking about mom-and-pop shops run by folks who know the difference between a dry fly and a wet fly.
These people bet their life savings on stores that sell fishing gear to neighbors they’ve known for decades.
Now Orvis pulls back and suddenly Joe’s Sporting Goods in small-town America loses his biggest supplier.
Meanwhile, major department stores are getting hammered by the same cost increases.
Macy’s executives disclosed during earnings calls this year that they’re paying tariffs reaching 145% on certain imported merchandise.²
The department store giant responded by accelerating plans to close underperforming locations.
The broader retail sector tells an even more alarming story.
Industry layoffs surged 274% in 2025, with nearly 76,000 retail jobs eliminated as companies like Joann, Macy’s, and others announced widespread closures.³
The real victims of failed economic policies
Look, here’s what should make every American who shops at independent retailers absolutely livid.
You know what gets lost when an Orvis store closes?
It’s not just another retail location going dark.
You lose the guy who knows exactly which rod works best on the local creek.
Try getting that kind of advice from Amazon’s customer service chat.
The timing makes this situation even more maddening.
Americans discovered a renewed passion for outdoor recreation during recent years, creating what should have been a golden opportunity for companies like Orvis.
Instead of capitalizing on increased interest, the company is forced to retreat from markets it has served for decades.
This wasn’t Orvis’s first encounter with these economic pressures either.
Orvis already axed 50 people back in June, with management pointing straight at tariff costs.
That came on top of the 112 workers they laid off last October – about one in every eight employees.
Think about that for a second.
These are real people with mortgages and kids in college, not line items on a corporate balance sheet.
And here’s the part that should really get people fired up: none of these policies are actually helping American manufacturers.
Foreign producers continue making the same products at the same profit margins.
They simply pass the additional costs through to American importers, who have no choice but to raise prices for consumers.
The only losers in this arrangement are American retail businesses, their employees, and the customers who depend on them.
For outdoor enthusiasts who remember when companies like Orvis represented permanence and reliability, these closures serve as a wake-up call about the real-world consequences of economic policies that ignore basic market realities.
A business that survived every major crisis in American history shouldn’t be getting taken down by trade policies that demonstrably don’t work as intended.
¹ Simon Perkins, "Company Statement," Orvis, October 2, 2025.
² Tom Edwards, "Macy’s Q1 2025 Earnings Call," Macy’s Inc., May 28, 2025.
³ Challenger, Gray & Christmas, "Job Cut Report," June 2025.
⁴ VTDigger, "Orvis Layoffs Coverage," June 2025.
