Finding a Roaring Fork Valley native that hasn’t benefited from Factory Outdoor is like trying to turn left into their parking lot while headed south on Colorado Highway 82 — easier said than done. 

Factory Outdoor was born into Glenwood Springs nearly 50 years ago and will be remembered long after they close their doors. They kicked off their massive liquidation sale on Thursday, and will close their doors once their backstock safely finds new homes within the Roaring Fork Valley community. 

The closure of the store will serve as the fourth and final step in the retirement process of longtime owners and brothers Pat and Shannon Long. They previously closed their Boulder, Denver, and Fort Collins locations, but always felt a special connection to their Glenwood store. 

“I’ve always loved this store,” Pat Long, co-owner of Factory Outdoor said. “It’s getting pretty hard to compete with things like REI and Amazon, but more than any other reason, it’s time. When you’ve worked in retail as long as we have, it becomes a little easier to know when it’s time, and it’s time.”

They are holding a sale to deplete their stores, starting on Thursday and finishing on Wednesday, April 16, but the store plans to remain open until mid-May. To help honor the community that the store flourished in for nearly half a century, everything from tough Sorel work boots to Makita brand power tools to NRS life jackets to Oakley goggles are on massive discount. 

Co-owner Shannon Long reiterated how much the community meant to the success of the store, but used a more visual example. 

“The community has just been so amazing,” he said. “Just look around.” Cars were pushed out onto South Grand Avenue, and lines wrapped around the entire store as people scrambled to squeeze one last resource out of the metaphorical giving tree. 

Longtime local Mark Feinsinger said he was sad, but not surprised when he received the letter announcing the sale and closure of the Glenwood outdoor community. 

“That’s the retail business world, right? It’s just the way it goes sometimes,” he said. “We all knew that when REI came in, these stores would take a hit.”

Feinsinger shopped at Factory Outdoor when it opened in 1977 and can still remember when it was called Factory Surplus. He bought his daughter gear at the same place he was shopping while Jimmy Carter was president. 

“The thing about this place was how unique their items were. There are still things that you can’t find anywhere but here,” he said.

Shannon didn’t blame REI for the closure, but couldn’t ignore the shifting retail worlds realities. 

“I don’t think REI impacted our loyal customers,” he said. “But of course it did. REI is one thing, but competing with next day shipping is a whole different battle. It’s honestly a little frustrating that we have to do this, but hopefully everyone gets a good deal.”

Pat said after closing three other stores, the bittersweet feeling has subsided a little bit. 

“It is still definitely bittersweet, but I think that since we have done this a couple times now, it’s a little easier to manage,” he said. “One door closes and another one opens.”

The store will be open through its normal hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on South Grand Ave. until inventory is depleted.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that Factory Outdoor Outlet plans to remain open until mid-May.