One of Augusta’s outdoor retailers is expanding. Escape Outdoors, currently located adjacent to Mullins Crossing at 4275 Washington Rd., is moving to the old Rite Aid building on Fury’s Ferry and Baston Rd.
The increased interest in outdoor leisure activities like disc golf and kayaking during 2020 was a boon to Escape Outdoors and while owner Rafy Basilla was already considering expansion, 2020 helped bolster those hopes.
The plans for the current location are to be determined, according to Basilla, but for the time being, both are planned to be open and operational.
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“We plan to be near Mullins Crossing, and if it works out financially to stay here as well, that’s what we want do,” said Ryan Hemann, a manager at Escape Outdoors. Hemann said they’d like to continue their presence at their current location due to their on-brand nature. The current location is essentially a barn with a tin roof, and it’s recognizable.
“If anything, the past year reinforced the idea of expanding,” Hemann said. According to Hemann and Basilla, the plan was in the works prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and people wanting to be outdoors and hike kept their plans afloat.
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Basilla said it was hard to get bikes and kayaks last year and that drew more business to Escape as well.
According to Basilla, late April is still the target opening date but is subject to some wiggle room.
In terms of what can be expected in the new, larger space, Basilla said they will have more of everything.
“We’ll also have space for repairs for bikes and kayaks and offer more variety on what we carry,” Basilla said.
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Escape carries big name brands like Osprey, Patagonia, and On Cloud, but also support local brands like Kings Creek and Golf Augusta as well. With the increase in space, they’ll be carrying new brands as well, such as Black Diamond, a climbing and trail retailer.
Visit https://shopescapeoutdoors.com/ or call (706) 869 – 8080 for more info on this local retailer.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com
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