Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020 - 47

throughout the Southeast, Wheeler says
Rock/Creek's hyperlocal focus was intentional.
"We wanted to build a fort around Chattanooga
and defend it," he says. "We were able to hold
other retailers at bay because we surrounded Chattanooga with Rock/Creek. People left
Chattanooga alone because they knew we'd take
it to heart if they came to town. We were serious
about our success because we viewed it as a family
thing. If you're biting into our business, you're
biting into our family."
From the very beginning, Wheeler and
Webb had used the shop as more than just a
place to sell outdoor gear. Rock/Creek was,
and continues to be, a space for community
building, education, and environmental advocacy. Both Wheeler and Webb were instrumental in the formation of the Southeastern
Climbers Coalition (SCC) and the Grassroots
Outdoor Alliance (Wheeler served on the
board of GOA for 18 years).
"[Rock/Creek] has been a real conduit
for getting people outfitted and outside, but
they've also been a facilitator," said Tennessee
River Gorge Trust executive director Rick
Huffines. "They have their ear to the ground
and they know what the community wants
and then they try to find a way to facilitate
those wants, needs, and desires for access."
In 2002, Wykle and North Carolina climbing legend Jim Horton created the Triple
Crown Bouldering Series, which Rock/Creek
continues to sponsor today. The Triple Crown
raised money for the SCC to purchase climbing
areas like Denny Cove and eventually helped
Chattanooga establish permanent access to the
boulders at Stone Fort, or Little Rock City.
The same year of that inaugural Triple
Crown, Rock/Creek started its own trail running race series. Proceeds from races like
the StumpJump 50K directly benefit the
Tennessee River Gorge Trust and other local
nonprofits. Those funds have in turn helped
construct trails like the Ritchie Hollow Trail
in Prentice Cooper State Forest and the
Cumberland Scenic Trail.
"They see that being directly involved with
their customers and with partner nonprofits is good business for them and is good for

the health of communities," said The Land
Trust for Tennessee president and CEO Liz
McLaurin. "They're real about it somehow.
It's not a one-off. It's a long-term commitment
[Rock/Creek] makes to their partners, and
that means something to us."

THE TRANSITION ERA

Rock/Creek's community-first business ethos
has undoubtedly contributed to the retailer's
numerous recognitions: Online Retailer of

the Year in 2009 by Backpacker & SNEWS;
Retailer of the Year in 2011, 2013, and 2014
by GOA; Most Innovative Retailer in 2016 by
GOA; and most recently Specialty Retailer of
the Year in 2019 by The North Face.
Even with the threat of the dot-com movement, business for Rock/Creek was better
than ever. But by 2016, Wheeler and Webb,
then in their late 50s, were ready to step down.
Options for a succession plan are limited for independent specialty retailers, especially if, like

HEART AND SOUL
Clockwise from top left: sales associate Lili
Brandon, store manager Brandon Taylor, assistant
manager Charlie "Gnarly" Daniels, and paddlesports sales associate Paige Pridmore.

Winter 2020

/ OUTDOOR RETAILER 47

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020