Seven Maine Brands to Exhibit at Outdoor Retailer Summer Show 2022

Portland, Maine (June 6, 2022) – Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) is set to attend Outdoor Retailer Summer Market  2022 in Denver June 9-11 with an exciting lineup of MOB members, showcasing innovative gear and heritage industry products. Attendees at Outdoor Retailer will have the opportunity to meet representatives and view products from the following businesses at the MOB Booth (#36087-UL). …

Maine GearShare Launches Pilot Program

MAINE (May 18, 2022) – Maine GearShare, an equipment lending service for outdoor recreation and a first-of-its-kind collaboration of outdoor brands, funders, and trip-leading organizations, launched their first gear deployment pilot program recently by supporting Teens to Trails on their Adventure Bound whitewater rafting weekend. “Maine GearShare is the result of a truly collaborative process among outdoor-focused organizations, funders, and brands. We all …

Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission Releases Report on Maine’s Outdoor Recreation Industry

Consultant Report Finds Opportunities For Growth and an Urgent Need to Protect Assets Saco, ME (April 12, 2022) – Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) is releasing the findings from a newly completed comprehensive look at a significant part of the Southern Maine economy – outdoor recreation. The Outdoor Recreation Industry Profile and Strategy Report was completed with Camoin Associates, …

Maine Outdoor Brands forms Workforce Advisory Board

PORTLAND, Maine (April 12, 2022) – Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) announced the formation of a Workforce Advisory Board to help strengthen the outdoor industry’s efforts to attract, retain, and build an inclusive workforce. The board is made up of representatives from MOB member businesses and organizations and co-chaired by Devin McNeill, CEO of Flowfold, and Ponch Membreño, who sits on …

MOB announces annual Trailblazer Awards, honoring innovation, leadership and collaboration in Maine’s Outdoor Industry

Portland, Maine (March 22, 2022) – At the Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) annual meeting held last week at Sugarloaf, the organization presented its annual Trailblazer Awards. The ceremony honored the winners of the Outdoor Innovation, Outdoor Industry Leader of the Year, and Outdoor Brand Collaboration awards.  MOB Outdoor Innovation Award – recognizes a brand or organization for an innovative product or …

New Compass Program to Support Emerging Outdoor Businesses and Entrepreneurs

PORTLAND, Maine, February 16, 2022 – The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (MCE) announced today that it is partnering with Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) to provide in-depth training and networking to outdoor industry product, service, and retail companies seeking to expand their businesses. The new ten-week program called MCE Compass, is made possible by a grant awarded from the Maine Community …

Five Maine brands to exhibit at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show in Denver, Colorado

MAINE (January 20, 2022) – Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) and the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation are set to attend Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 in Denver with an exciting line up of MOB members, showcasing innovative gear and heritage industry products. The outdoor industry in Maine is steeped in history and tradition and it still captures popular imagination as …

Adventure Plate Campaign Suspended Due to State Moratorium on New Speciality Plates

Update: February 24, 2022 We want to thank everyone who weighed in with the legislature’s transportation committee in the last few weeks. Regrettably, the bill to exempt already approved specialty plates from the moratorium failed to pass. While good-intentioned from the onset, the license plate program, they felt, was in need of stricter rules and guidelines. The Adventure plate was, …

Maine ranked 5th in the value outdoor recreation added to statewide GDP in 2020

  Boating, biking, and manufacturing drove Maine’s outdoor recreation economy in a challenging pandemic year AUGUSTA, Maine (November 9, 2021) – The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has released data indicating the impact outdoor recreation had on each states’ economy in 2020. According to the report, which measures the economic activity as well as the sales generated …

Maine Outdoor Brands Appoints Kay Henry as New Board President

PORTLAND, Maine (September 30, 2021) — Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB), the outdoor business alliance working to strengthen Maine’s outdoor recreation economy, is pleased to share a leadership shift leading into the new year: Kay Henry succeeds Jim Hauptman as Maine Outdoor Brands’ board president.  Kay Henry has been a MOB board member for three years, but her experience in the …

Maine Outdoor Startups Achieve Early Fundraising Success

WATERVILLE, ME (September 28, 2021) Three outdoor recreation startups based in Maine have received funding from Maine Technology Institute to advance product development projects totaling $76,000 in scope. Each startup is a graduate of the Waterville-based Tortoise Labs product design course, which begins a new session on October 14th. With its focus on early-stage idea generation and validation, Tortoise Labs …

State Outdoor Business Alliances Collaborate to Elevate the Importance of Outdoor Recreation to Local Economies

Bozeman, MT (June 8, 2021) – Outdoor recreation contributes to economic success in many ways and will help lead recovery from the pandemic, according to a new report released by the State Outdoor Business Alliance Network (SOBAN), a new network of business organizations that share knowledge, opportunities, and best practices to strengthen commerce, infrastructure, and participation in the outdoors. The report …

Investments in Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Can Support Maine’s Outdoor Economy

PORTLAND, Maine (May 26, 2021) – Maine’s $3 billion outdoor economy and success as an attractive place to live, work and visit depends on having robust outdoor recreation infrastructure including local parks and recreation areas, larger-scale conservation projects to draw visitors to rural Maine, trail networks, and accessible information about all of it. COVID-19 has driven unprecedented demand for outdoor experiences and has exposed …

Survey results show workforce opportunities and challenges for Maine’s outdoor industry

PORTLAND, Maine (May 5, 2021) – A Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) member survey, in partnership with the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, found that while employers in Maine’s outdoor industry are attracting a younger workforce, it remains difficult to fill open positions. A survey was conducted in early 2021 by the Survey Research Center at the Muskie School of Public Service at …

Testimony in Support of Land for Maine’s Future

PORTLAND, Maine (April 26, 2021) – Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) submitted testimony in support of LD 983, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Promote Land Conservation, Working Waterfronts, Water Access and Outdoor Recreation, and LD 687, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Promote the Conservation of Land, Working Waterfronts, Water Access and …

Testimony in Support of LD700

PORTLAND, Maine (March 25, 2021) – Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) submitted testimony in support of LD 700 “An Act To Promote Economic Development and Outdoor Recreation through Investment in State Parks” to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. You can read the full letter here. Formed in 2017, Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) works to unite and provide a voice for Maine’s …

Awards Honor Innovation, Leadership and Collaboration in Maine’s Outdoor Industry

PORTLAND, Maine (February 2, 2021): Maine’s outdoor industry leaders recently gathered to live stream the Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) Trailblazer Awards Ceremony. The ceremony honored MOB’s Outdoor Innovation, Outdoor Industry Leader of the Year, and Outdoor Brand Collaboration award recipients. The 2021 award recipients are the Portland Gear Hub’s Bikes for All Mainers program, Back40’s Henry Gilbert, and Maine Island …

New Report Details Outdoor Recreation’s Economic Impact in Maine and Nationally

Maine ranks in the top five across the country in the value outdoor recreation adds to statewide GDP PORTLAND, Maine (November 10, 2020) – For the second year, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released statistics showing the role that outdoor recreation plays in each state’s economy. According to the report, which focuses on 2019 data, Maine’s …

New Maine ADVENTURE Plate Aims to Strengthen Maine’s $3B Outdoor Recreation Economy While Inspiring More Opportunities for Outdoor Recreation

PORTLAND, Maine (August 19, 2020) – Launched this month by Maine Outdoor Brands, the ADVENTURE specialty plate provides a way for Maine vehicle owners to show their support for Maine’s growing outdoor recreation industry – including all the outdoor gear manufacturers, outfitters, youth trip leading organizations and more – whose products and services enable more Mainers to get outdoors. Maine …

MOB Launches Adventure Local Maine

Adventure Local Maine seeks to inspire discovery and promote local outdoor recreation this summer. PORTLAND, Maine (May 21, 2020) – Maine Outdoor Brands, the alliance of Maine’s outdoor product, service and retail brands, today announces the launch of Adventure Local Maine — a collaborative campaign amongst Maine’s outdoor businesses to promote local, outdoor recreation this summer. Outdoor recreation is vital …

Supporting Community COVID-19 Needs

Portland Paddle – 5/15/20 switched to a pay-what-you-can model to support local Mainer’s experiencing financial hardship. Flowfold – 6/5/20 has retooled its facility to manufacture face shields for hospitals. SeaBags – 5/12/20 began making masks, donating its first batch to senior living facilities, and eventually offering them for sale to retail customers. American Roots – 4/2/20 has pivoted to making …

COVID-19 Impacts & Recommendations

Formed in 2017, Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) represents 100+ businesses and organizations in the state of Maine that are enabling outdoor recreation, from outdoor gear makers to guiding companies. For us, outdoor recreation and economic opportunity are inextricably linked. At 4.8%, outdoor recreation makes up a larger percentage of Maine’s economy than almost any other state and is currently growing …

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Resources

Letter sent to Maine Dept. of Economic & Community Development – highlighting the importance of the outdoor recreation industry in reopening and recovery (May 4) Member feedback and questions on plan to restart Maine’s economy Initial COVID-19 impacts and recommendations (updated March 30) The Mills administration did approve $9million in grants to 96 municipalities across the state of Maine last …

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market FAQ

In June, Maine Outdoor Brands will be exhibiting once again at the largest outdoor industry trade show in North America, Outdoor Retailer. Held in Denver, Outdoor Retailer (or “OR”) is a major opportunity to get your brand and products in front of retailers, buyers, and the media.  MOB members have the added benefit of exhibiting in the MOB booth for …

New National Report Details Outdoor Recreation’s Economic Impact in Maine 

Maine ranks third across the country in the value outdoor recreation adds to statewide GDP PORTLAND, Maine (September 23, 2019) – For the first time ever, the Department of Commerce ‘s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released initial statistics showing the role that outdoor recreation plays in each state’s economy. According to the data, Maine’s outdoor recreation industry makes up a larger …

July 2019

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. Limited tickets are available for MOB’s July member event: a Casco Bay boat cruise and tour of Fort Gorges on Thursday, July 25th. Get your ticket today! Fourteen Maine Outdoor Brands attended the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Colorado, the largest contingent of Maine companies to date. …

June 2019

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. Welcome to Jenny Kordick, MOB’s new Executive Director! Read on to learn more about Jenny. Be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram to see what our members are up to at Outdoor Retailer later this month, and of course how they are spending summer in Maine. We’re more than happy …

April/May 2019

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. Join us next Wednesday the 8th for a happy hour at Flight Deck Brewing Co! Learn more about Maine’s Director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation in this SNEWS article MOB t-shirts are now available! See below for how to purchase. Upcoming events Mark your calendar …

March 2019

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. We’re heading to Summer OR and have two great packages available to members. Read on for more information! We have MOB swag! Scoll down and be the first to purchase our limited edition t-shirts! Share your opinion on Maine’s Outdoor Recreation Priorities by completing the SCORP …

February 2019

  If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. We’re heading to Summer OR! Mark your calendars (June 18-20) and stay tuned for more information. MOB will be at the Hall of Flags March 26th to meet with legislators. Come show your support! Since it’s launch last month, over 1,500 people have visited the new …

January 2019

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. Be on the lookout for a survey at the end of January! Download a member badge to put on your website. MOB was featured on a podcast! Listen below. Mark your calendar for these can’t miss events. Wednesday, February 6th, 8-9:30am Breakfast Briefing: Ask an Expert: Digital Marketing …

December 2018

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. Get your annual report! Check out our generous member pro-deals, just in time for the holidays. THANK YOU for an amazing first year, and be on the lookout for an email from our membership committee about 2019 renewals. Mark your calendar for these can’t miss …

November 2018

If you read nothing else … The three most important things for you to know. Love a good discount? We’re compiling a list. Check out MOB’s video premiere on Facebook on November 8th! Two members were featured in Forbes this month! Read the articles below. Mark your calendar for these can’t miss events. November 8th, 2pm Premiere of Maine Makers: …

October 2018

The three most important things for you to know. Three MOB member’s headed to Washington, DC last month to #SaveLWCF — read more about their experience and the progress that was made below. We’ve had a lot of members in the news this month, check them all out here! Please take a minute to complete this important SNEWS Survey Mark your calendar for these …

September 2018

The three most important things for you to know. Interested in how company culture can impact your business? RSVP for our next Breakfast Briefing! MOB is growing, and so is the Advisory Board! Read below for more info on how you can get involved. It’s time to start thinking about Outdoor Retailer: Winter Market! MOB has some exciting new things in store …

Top Tips for an Effective OR

The Outdoor Retailer tradeshow is big, and so is MOB’s series of OR tips. As you prepare for the summer show in Denver, here are some final thoughts from MOB members on making the show a success for your brand. Thanks to the following MOB members for contributing: James Morin, Flowfold  Alicia MacLeay, Trailspace  Cathy Streifel, Pyxie  Scot Bahr, Cairn …

Top Tips from Outdoor Retailer Media and PR

Outdoor media has an audience. You have an outdoor brand you want to connect with that audience. So how do you get the two together for some media attention?  We asked Nancy Fendler, of Fendler PR, and Alicia MacLeay, of Trailspace, to share their PR and media tips for building relationships with working media (editors, writers, and  photographers) who cover …

Top Tips from Outdoor Retailer Buyers

— Alicia MacLeay, Trailspace (LINK) Connecting with buyers is the key goal of brands at the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow. But building productive relationships in a frenetic four days is challenging. So what advice do experienced retail buyers offer other buyers and outdoor brands to make it a success? In this first in a MOB series of tips for Outdoor Retailer …

What is Outdoor Retailer?

In July, Maine Outdoor Brands will be exhibiting at the largest outdoor industry tradeshow in North America, Outdoor Retailer. Held in Denver, Outdoor Retailer (or “OR”) is a major opportunity to get your brand and products in front of retailers, buyers, and the media. MOB members have the added benefit of exhibiting in the MOB booth for just $695-$995*, a …

July 2018

The three most important things for you to know. Join us in welcoming our newest MOB member, OpBox! Read more about this awesome Maine brand below, and stay tuned for more info about a possible collaboration with them later this summer! Summer Market at OR was a blast and we left feeling energized and excited about things we learned and observed. MOB member Blaze will be …

June 2018

The three most important things for you to know. There are still spots available to exhibit with MOB at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver on July 23-26! Questions? Want insider tips? Follow our upcoming series! See the first installment, “OR Tips from Buyers,” below or email Brian Threlkeld, brian@maineoutdoorbrands.com Sponsorship opportunity! Exhibit at the Teens to Trails L.L. Bean’s Life Happens Outside Festival on Friday August …

May 2018

The three most important things for you to know. MOB’s headed to the OutDoor Show in Germany and Outdoor Retailer in Denver. We have a nice group of member brands lined up for both and there’s still room for more. Reach out to info@maineoutdoorbrands.com to register. We joined OIA’s Capital Summit in Washington, D.C. in April to lobby for the …

February 2018

Contents EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT MEMBER SURVEY TOPLINE OR RECAP FIRST BREAKFAST BRIEFING MEMBER EVENTS PRESIDENT’S UPDATE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY FACTS – George Kiesewetter, Executive Director This past January was a full-on sprint to get ready for the Outdoor Retailer winter trade show in Denver. We had a terrific response to our MOB booth there and lots of positive PR. Thanks to …

January 2018

Contents BOARD REPORT MEMBERSHIP MEMBER EVENTS OUTDOOR RETAILER MOB JOBS MOB COMMUNICATIONS Jim Hauptman, Blaze Partners One year ago, while out in Salt Lake City attending Outdoor Retailer, a handful of us met for beers and kicked around the idea of establishing an alliance of Maine outdoor brands. Little did any of us know—or could have imagined—what MOB would become …