Winners announced at the upcoming Grassroots Connect Show will include Retailer of the Year, Vendor Partner of the Year.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (May 22, 2025) — Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the national organization dedicated to the health and growth of specialty outdoor retail, this week announced its slate of nominees for the 2025 Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards.
The awards celebrate overall excellence among Grassroots retailers and vendors, as well as outstanding achievements in business, advocacy, community action, and philanthropy.
Winners will be named at the upcoming Grassroots Connect retail buying show June 9-12, 2025, in Reno, Nev., where 148 retail businesses and 147 exhibitors will gather for line showings supporting order writing for Spring 2026. The awards ceremony will take place at lunch on Monday, June 9.
“It’s always a highlight of the year to recognize the efforts to which specialty retailers and vendor partners go to serve their communities, both in the outdoor industry and in their individual geographic locations,” said Dana Howe, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Vice President, “These awards put a spotlight on all the hard work they do year round, and they also highlight best practices that help everyone in our network learn and improve.”
The nominees for the 2025 Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards include:
Retailer Awards
Retailer of the Year — Backcountry North (Traverse City, MI); D.D. Bullwinkels Outdoors (Brevard, NC); J&H Outdoors (Lexington, KY); Summit Hut (Tucson, AZ); Trail Creek Outfitters (Glen Mills, PA)
Community Giveback — Massey's Outfitters (New Orleans, LA); Mountain Chalet (Colorado Springs, CO); Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City, NC); Roads Rivers and Trails (Milford, OH); Tahoe Mountain Sports (Truckee, CA); Water Stone Outdoors (Fayetteville, WV)
Retailer Growth Award — Active Endeavors (Davenport, IA); Gearhead (Multiple locations, AR, TN & IL); JL Waters (Bloomington, IN); Mountain High Outfitters (Multiple locations: AL & TN); The Bear Mountain (Waco, TX)
Retail Wow Award — Backcountry North (Traverse City, MI); Bill Jackson's Shop for Adventure (Pinellas Park, FL); Pack Rat (Fayetteville, AR); Summit Hut (Tucson, AZ); The Toggery (White Fish, MT)
Vendor Awards
Vendor Partner of the Year – Nemo Equipment, Opinel, Patagonia, Rab, Salewa
Excellence in Hardgoods & Accessories – Backpackers Pantry, LEKI, Nemo Equipment, Nite Ize, Opinel
Excellence in Apparel and Softgoods – Helly Hansen, Jetty, Patagonia, Rab, Smartwool
Excellence in Footwear – Astral, LOWA, Oboz, Salewa, Superfeet
Additional awards will be given during the ceremony including Appreciation for Board Service, Friend of Grassroots, Unmatched Dedication Retailer Award, and Excellence in Sales Representation.