Outdoors no more

WASILLA — During a holiday season filled with cheer and revelry, one local store rang in the weekend before Christmas Eve with its final customer party.

After 23 years of serving the Mat-Su Valley, Outdoors and More Sporting Goods closed its doors forever Saturday, but not before holding one last blowout. While going out of business would be a somber, low-key affair with most, at Outdoors and More three months of inventory liquidation led up to Saturday’s celebration with prizes and smiles.

“Welcome to Outdoors and More for one last time,” said Jerry Holbrook, owner of the sporting goods store, to the customers at his store along the Parks Highway.

The crowd gathered in front of Holbrook, waiting to learn who won first prize in his going-out-of-business promotion. In the end, Diane and Steve Stewart won the first-place big screen television, which they acquired through lots of shopping over the store’s final months. The Stewarts estimate they spent about $3,000 at Outdoors and More since the store first announced it was closing.

Those shopping at the store earned points, Holbrook said. Donating items for the Food Bank and Toys for Tots also earned points good toward the final prize. Overall, the Stewarts accumulated 62 million points.

“Anything to help Jerry,” Steve Stewart said. “He’s such a good guy.”

Not only did the spending spree help Holbrook sell off inventory, it gave the Stewarts a chance to upgrade their grandchildren’s fishing gear, Steve Stewart said.

“Everybody got new fishing poles,” he said. “All the grandkids had their little fishing kits, but now they have $200 poles.”

Happy to win the grand prize, the Stewarts said their fortune is bittersweet, as it means one of their favorite local retailers is out of business.

“It’s going to be sad to see them go,” Steve Stewart said. “It’s a good store and they had a lot of good things in here.”

Along with quality gear at competitive prices, Stewart said the family-oriented and friendly atmosphere is what kept him coming back to the store again and again.

Tina Pollard, a Wasilla resident and Outdoors and More regular, said she has enjoyed shopping with Holbrook because he and his staff took time to address her needs and remember her name.

“They’re so pleasant here it’s refreshing,” Pollard said.

Holbrook began his Outdoors and More adventure in 1991 when he became manager of the business, he said. Despite not being the top dog, “I’ve always ran it like it was my business and that’s probably the secret to our success.”

Although he didn’t buy the business until four years ago, Holbrook said he’s been a part of the business world since he was 10. His father opened Holbrook Square Deal, a grocery store located in Emmett, Idaho.

“That’s where I learned the old-school way of doing business,” Holbrook said. “And that’s how I’ve ran Outdoors and More.”

For Holbrook, the “old-school way” is shaking hands, customer service and square deals.

“It’s not about how you do business in the administrative sense, it’s about the people — about how you care for the people,” he said.

Similar to other Valley residents, Cheryl Metiva, executive director for the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, said she will miss having Outdoors and More in Wasilla for many reasons.

“I think it’s sad to see them close,” Metiva said. “They have been a valuable part of our community and they have contributed a lot. Jerry has done a wonderful job through his many years in business of not only supporting fellow business people, but supporting a lot of nonprofits.”

Holbrook’s giving nature was further exemplified by the going-out-of-business promotion.

Not only did he spend thousands of dollars on prizes for his customers, he also found a way to help local organizations through the promotional event, he said. Customers earned points for donating food and toys, and in turn he donated to the Food Bank and Toys for Tots.

Saturday afternoon, the walls are bare, the shelves empty and the inventory sold. As Holbrook looks over the empty space he says he’s not sad; rather, he feels a sense of accomplishment and an eagerness to tackle the next step in his life.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.