Columbia’s new concept ties knot with local anglers

Columbia Sportswear’s retail aspirations arrived in South Florida in the form of a new 5,600-sq.-ft. concept store called Performance Fishing Gear.

Named after the apparel and footwear company’s PFG brand, the store is the third of its type Columbia has opened in the past nine months as part of a larger trend at the company bolster its direct-to-consumer business. The new store is located in Simon Property Group’s 821,000-sq.-ft. open air shopping center called The Falls located along U.S. Highway 1 south of Miami. While not exactly a waterfront location, the other PFG stores Columbia opened last November occupy real estate in more landlocked locations in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta and the Dallas suburb of Southlake.

“Miami is the perfect landscape for Columbia’s core PFG customer,” said Shawn Cox, Columbia’s senior vice president of retail. “The region is both a home and a destination for serious anglers and individuals who simply enjoy the sophistication and style of the Columbia PFG product line.”

In a statement the company described the store as being modeled after the adventurous atmosphere and lifestyle that Columbia PFG customers embrace on a daily basis. The new location will feature the latest PFG styles of apparel, footwear and accessories along with an interactive knot-tying station and digital design elements.

In an effort to get the bite going with customers, Columbia parked a small (18-foot) boat in the parking lot as the grand prize in a drawing to be held September 3. To enter, customers are encouraged to take photos and post online using the hashtags #ColumbiaPFGSweepstakes and #ShopTheFalls.

Shoppers also have an opportunity to win two nights’ accommodation at Resorts World Bimini, or a fishing lesson from saltwater angler and Columbia PFG spokesman George Poveromo. He also serves as the editor-at-large for Salt Water Sportsman magazine and will be present at the store on September 3 to announce the winners and meet customers.

Recent years have seen Columbia expand its direct to consumer operations with online and with physical stores. In addition to widespread availability of its brand at retail, the company operates 74 outlet stores, 19 branded stores and five brand-specific e-commerce sites in the U.S.