Michigan-Based Outdoor Retailer Closing Its Last Remaining Locations

It's the end of an era for this outdoor retailer that originated in Michigan. Moosejaw is closing the doors at its three remaining locations, including Birmingham.

Moosejaw:  A Quirky, Made-in-Michigan Brand

Moosejaw was founded in 1992 by longtime friends Robert Wolfe and David Jaffe. Its first store opened in Keego Harbor, and the brand grew to a total of 14 locations throughout the US at its peak.

The chain quickly became known for its wacky ad campaigns known as "Moosejaw Madness." Take a look at this 'Moosejaw Test Lab' spot for a Thermarest Sleeping Pad.

The brand earned a lot of accolades for its sometimes-nonsensical ad campaigns, including a 'Best of the Web' award from Forbes, and inclusion in Top-50 Retailer lists published by Bizrate and Internet Retailer.

In 2011, Moosejaw released an augmented reality app that allowed shoppers to hold their mobile devices over the Moosejaw catalog in order to view images of the models in their underwear.

The Demise of Moosejaw

A majority stake in the company was sold to a private equity firm in 2007. In 2017, Walmart acquired the company for $51 million and it was later sold to Dick's Sporting Goods in February 2023.

Dick's shuttered all but three Moosejaw locations at the end of 2023. Its headquarters moved from Madison Heights to Pittsburgh earlier this year.

Moosejaw Closes Its Last Stores

The Detroit Free Press reports that the three remaining Moosejaw locations are closing as early as this past Saturday (8/3).

The last remaining store in Michigan was located at 34288 Woodward Ave. in Birmingham.

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Employees at the Salt Lake City and Bentonville, Arkansas locations confirmed to the Free Press that all three locations would be closing over the weekend.