GREENFIELD — The sun is setting on Gander Outdoors in Greenfield.
The store announced its closure in a Facebook ad, indicating “everything must go.” Clearance signs cover the inside of the outdoor lifestyle outlet at 2175 Barrett Drive, where an enormous American flag waves over its parking lot.
Camping World Holdings, Inc., owner of Gander Outdoors, announced a plan in September to shift from locations where it doesn’t have the ability to sell and/or service recreational vehicles.
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The company runs 165 locations selling and/or servicing RVs and more than 30 RV dealerships opened or acquired since January 2018, according to a news release. It also runs 37 locations that don’t sell and/or service RVs but sell an assortment of outdoor lifestyle products, like the Gander Outdoors in Greenfield.
Marcus Lemonis, Camping World chairman and CEO, called RV sales and servicing the company’s “most important offering” in the news release.
The Greenfield store declined to comment. A media representative for Camping World did not return a request for comment.
It’ll be the second Gander-related closing in the property’s five-year history.
Gander Mountain opened the 45,600-square-foot building in 2014 and closed it three years later after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Following Camping World’s purchase of the rights to Gander Mountain in a bankruptcy buyout, the location reopened as Gander Outdoors in 2018 with more than 50 full- and part-time employees.
Kevin and Jennifer Carse of Fountaintown stopped by Gander Outdoors in Greenfield on Oct. 31 to check out the deals after hearing it was closing.
As they perused the boot section, they said they enjoy outdoor activities and that their shopping choices depend on what they’re looking for and how good of a price they can find.
“Pretty much where the best deals are,” Jennifer said.
Paul Aguiar, an avid hunter and camper, lives in Noblesville but happened to be working near Greenfield on Oct. 31, so he thought he’d stop by.
“Any type of outdoorsy person is going to be bummed a little bit,” he said of the closing. “We’re just getting left with less and less outdoorsy stuff.”
