December 2016
Scott Keith, owner of Northwest Outdoor Store here in Medford, has created the ideal environment for folks who aim to enjoy themselves while shopping as opposed to the hair-pulling experience they might sometimes get while in an over-sized chain store.
Last year Scott expanded into the space next door and wasted no time installing a growler filling station/wine bar. “It’s a place for community to gather of outdoor-minded friends and individuals. It is warm and inviting and very casual,” Scott explained. “One can shop for outdoor gear, clothing or Oregon gifts while having a pint of beer or glass of wine.”
They offer a variety of wines from a half dozen local Rogue Valley wineries, and have ten taps pouring all Oregon microbrews with a selection that rotates new options every week. “We always have an amazing offering of Pale Ales, Ambers, IPA’s, Porters and Stouts, plus some tasty tamales and nachos to snack on.
“We tried to take the concept of an outdoor store and expand it into a whole new experience,” Scott continued. “This led to a new slogan for us, ‘Come for the gear, stay for the beer!’”
For Scott and staff, making shopping fun and a community experience is the goal. “We are a place for the outdoor tribe to gather and plan their next trip, or carpool to a trailhead,” Scott said. “We are a locally-owned alternative to big corporate chain stores which don’t necessarily have an invested interest in our community.
“Whenever a local business needs to hire someone for the running of the business, a local person becomes employed whereas a chain store has all the supporting cast employed out of state back at some corporate headquarters, i.e. marketing, accountants, graphic artists, web developers, realtors, etc..,” Scott continued. “We like to say keep your hard earned money in the town you live in…and we will not be undersold by anyone – especially a chain store.”
Northwest Outdoor Store has been serving Medford for 7 years now with excellent and intimate customer service, and offering quality gear, including great gift ideas such as cross country skis, day packs, down jackets, snow shoes, camping stoves and water filters, sleeping bags, tents, drybags, hammocks and plenty more.
They are located at 980 Biddle Road (next to Bi-Mart) and open Monday – Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Call 541-245-4000 for more information.
