Would that be the Summit Hut on Speedway, down towards the Wild Oats AZ? To me the place had more of a 'we want to be like REI' than like say Campmor. I actually liked the Sportsman's Warehouse up past Oracle Rd better IME. I may have encountered the 3 employees who were latte queens, as opposed to the hiking crowd staff though
Somehow I missed this post.
Actually I think this was the Summit Hut on Wetmore and 1st Ave, but yes, same store as the one on Speedway. And yes, Summit Hut is definitely cast in the mold of REI, geared to the "high end" of the camping/outdoor market. I like Summit Hut okay, but I kind of wish REI would move into town to compete. The one thing Summit Hut can't offer is the purchasing power to bring their own "brand" to the store, the way REI does. I think the REI branded stuff is often an excellent value.
When I go looking for something in particular at Summit Hut, I'm often better informed about the products available than are the salespeople, but that's just the way things go. Most of their customers are not avid backpackers.
I haven't been to the Sportsman's Warehouse; I'll check it out. Popular Outdoor Outfitters (a sort of vaguely Campmor-like chain that used to be here) has hit the end of the trail. They were done in, I think, by the expansion of big box store camping departments.
Previous Topic
Index
