GreenLife Adventure Sports’ first Richmond location at 9691 W. Broad St.
For its first trek outside of Hampton Roads, an outdoors store found its way to West Broad Street.
GreenLife Adventure Sports, a 2-year-old Norfolk retailer, leased 5,000 square feet last month at 9691 W. Broad St. for its second location.
Owner Tommy Dunn is shooting for a summer opening at the space in West Park Shopping Center. Broker Jim Ashby of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer represented the landlord.
Dunn launched GreenLife in 2012 selling outdoor apparel, footwear and other gear.
“I had no idea we were going to open in Richmond,” Dunn said. “For a while, Richmond — which is one of the great outdoor cities in the country — was without an independent outfitter. I took notice of that and said, ‘We’ve got to get into Richmond.’ ”
Charlottesville-based Blue Ridge Mountain Sports closed its Richmond stores in recent years, so GreenLife will compete with big brands such as REI and Dick’s Sporting Goods. On the smaller end of the market it will contend with Walkabout Outfitters, which is planning to open in Carytown this summer.
Dunn said he is banking on the blurring of the line between what people can wear when they’re out on the town and what they can wear on the trail.
“We have soccer moms that come in and buy a lot of our clothes because there’s a crossover between the outdoor industry and the fashion industry,” Dunn said. “Everybody in the world has a North Face jacket.”
Dunn, 39, said the average cost of Patagonia jackets, his No. 1 selling brand, is more than $100.
Renovating the store, which for now is still occupied by a Hallmark shop, will cost about $150,000, Dunn said. Getting inventory for the new store will cost about $500,000. He is financing the venture with personal savings.
Dunn knows his away around a switchback or two. In 1998, the Eagle Scout thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail.
“I was in commercial real estate development and brokerage, and had been doing that for 15 years,” Dunn said of his time prior to launching GreenLife. “I decided to pursue my passion, and that is the outdoors and environmental preservation.
GreenLife offers classes, leads outdoors trips and participates in community greening efforts.
Matt Hayden, also an Eagle Scout who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, will run the Richmond GreenLife location. Hayden owns a small percentage of the company, Dunn said.
GreenLife Adventure Sports’ first Richmond location at 9691 W. Broad St.
For its first trek outside of Hampton Roads, an outdoors store found its way to West Broad Street.
GreenLife Adventure Sports, a 2-year-old Norfolk retailer, leased 5,000 square feet last month at 9691 W. Broad St. for its second location.
Owner Tommy Dunn is shooting for a summer opening at the space in West Park Shopping Center. Broker Jim Ashby of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer represented the landlord.
Dunn launched GreenLife in 2012 selling outdoor apparel, footwear and other gear.
“I had no idea we were going to open in Richmond,” Dunn said. “For a while, Richmond — which is one of the great outdoor cities in the country — was without an independent outfitter. I took notice of that and said, ‘We’ve got to get into Richmond.’ ”
Charlottesville-based Blue Ridge Mountain Sports closed its Richmond stores in recent years, so GreenLife will compete with big brands such as REI and Dick’s Sporting Goods. On the smaller end of the market it will contend with Walkabout Outfitters, which is planning to open in Carytown this summer.
Dunn said he is banking on the blurring of the line between what people can wear when they’re out on the town and what they can wear on the trail.
“We have soccer moms that come in and buy a lot of our clothes because there’s a crossover between the outdoor industry and the fashion industry,” Dunn said. “Everybody in the world has a North Face jacket.”
Dunn, 39, said the average cost of Patagonia jackets, his No. 1 selling brand, is more than $100.
Renovating the store, which for now is still occupied by a Hallmark shop, will cost about $150,000, Dunn said. Getting inventory for the new store will cost about $500,000. He is financing the venture with personal savings.
Dunn knows his away around a switchback or two. In 1998, the Eagle Scout thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail.
“I was in commercial real estate development and brokerage, and had been doing that for 15 years,” Dunn said of his time prior to launching GreenLife. “I decided to pursue my passion, and that is the outdoors and environmental preservation.
GreenLife offers classes, leads outdoors trips and participates in community greening efforts.
Matt Hayden, also an Eagle Scout who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, will run the Richmond GreenLife location. Hayden owns a small percentage of the company, Dunn said.