ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥

It was not an easy decision to make, said Dana Davis, who co-owns the business with her husband, Jeremy Davis, and has worked at Summit Hut for 27 years. But rising costs, competition with big box stores, and a shift toward online shopping made business unsustainable, she said.

“Since COVID, a lot of people have adjusted their shopping habits,� Davis said. “Instead of going to stores to really browse and look for the newest, latest, greatest thing, and wanting to touch, see and feel them, they're more involved at looking at reels or seeing new products in different ways, electronically. So I would say that's kind of been a significant shift.�

She also said Summit Hut's Tucson customer base has been affected by recent concerns about the economy, and the rising cost of goods.

The store at 5251 E. Speedway will begin a “going out of business sale� on Friday, Aug 29. All items will be 30% off, including an additional 30% off already-reduced items.

The announcement comes just weeks after the closure of the company’s Oro Valley location, which had been operating in the community for 13 years. 

Summit Hut came into being in 1967 as a business venture between two teenage friends, Jeff Conn and David Baker, president of Summit Hut, Ltd. The concept was to offer a special order service for Tucsonans who desired backpacking and mountaineering equipment.

Back then, there was no way to buy outdoor gear in Tucson otherwise, Davis said.

Over the years, Summit Hut grew beyond those humble beginnings, outfitting Tucsonans with outdoor clothing and footwear as well as gear for camping, backpacking and outdoor adventures.

“Our main goal always has been to just be a great gear store,� Davis said. “We just wanted to be a place where you could go to find great gear to get outdoors and enjoy your time outdoors, no matter who you are.�

They also prided themselves on working closely with their customers and being a regionally relevant store for Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, she said.

“Not just gear, but also for information and education. We really wanted to share our passion with our customers and help teach them the things that they would like to know or were interested in, introduce them to new places or new adventures, share stories,� she said.

In the decades of operation, they also focused on doing what they could to give back to the community, Davis said.

“We've worked with many outdoor organizations, a lot of outdoor nonprofits, over the years, trying to either work with them for donations, or support them, their events, and get their names out there.�

A few of the notable partnerships Davis mentioned included the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trail Association, Cooper Center for Environmental Education and Learning, and Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour.

The loss will be felt by many in the Tucson outdoor community. 

“Losing independent retailers, I think it's going to have a lot of impact,� Davis said. “Not having that space to commune or share information in the same way, and that local expertise and regional relevance that we've brought to the outdoor community here, and how many wonderful organizations we've worked with over the years.�

Since announcing the closure on Facebook Tuesday, Summit Hut has received a large amount of online support, she said.

“We had great community support with our consolidation sale. It was really great to see everyone and a lot of people had given us well wishes,� she said.

Kristin Trapp was among the devoted patrons who expressed their disappointment in the comments of the Facebook post. 

Trapp, who currently lives in Avra Valley, has been in the Tucson area for nearly two decades, and was a long-time customer of Summit Hut.

"I got into trail running, ultra running, and hiking and all that fun stuff, and my husband and I started doing ultra marathons together,� Trapp told the Star. “Summit Hut has always been our go-to for packs, for shoes, for gear, all kinds of gear. It's always been our go-to place, and we're so sad to hear it's closing.�

Trapp said she would go as frequently as once or twice a month, often to check out Summit Hut's selection of shoes and its sale items.

“It's convenient to go online, you can look at reviews, you can do all that kind of stuff, but until you can feel that product on your foot or on your back, you can't really know,� Trapp said. “Having the staff there that can talk to their products and tell you about, ‘oh, this little thing here folds up this way or that way,’ you don't get that from an online purchase.�

With the closure, Davis said her future path is unknown.

“Honestly, I've worked here since I graduated college, so I will have to brush up my résumé, because this is all I've done for the last 27 years,� she said. “We'll try and take a moment to look back and reflect upon what we've been a part of, and what a great company Summit Hut has been to many people, and try to take a moment to breathe that in.�

To Davis and many others, Summit Hut was more than just a gear shop.

“We've been part of the Tucson outdoor community for more than 55 years, and will always remember the friendships, the sharing of trail tips, conversations with customers over the years, other industry people, the great staff we've had, and the work that we've done to help promote. Getting people outdoors and inspired in their next adventure,� she said. “And that's what matters most.�