Gearhead Outfitters acquires Rock/Creek Outfitters, Uncle Dan’s Outdoor Store

Gearhead Outfitters, the privately-held Jonesboro-based outdoor specialty retailer, announced Thursday (Aug. 15) the acquisition of Rock/Creek Outfitters in Tennessee and Uncle Dan’s Outdoor Store based in Illinois.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Gearhead Outfitters currently operates 10 brick-and-mortar retail locations across the Midsouth. It has Arkansas locations in Jonesboro, Little Rock, Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville.

“We are passionate about brick-and-mortar retail, the outdoor industry, our communities and our mission,” said Ted Herget, owner and founder of Gearhead Outfitters. “The opportunity to acquire Rock/Creek and Uncle Dan’s has provided a unique opportunity for all three brands to align under those values as a family of outdoor specialty retailers. Our highest priority is to maintain the integrity of these companies, the brands we carry, and to expand the influence of the outdoor industry.”

The acquisition by Gearhead Outfitters will include Rock/Creek’s seven retail locations in Tennessee, along with six Uncle Dan’s locations — five in the Chicagoland area; Lincoln Square, Bannockburn, Evanston, Highland Park and Lakeview, and one Wisconsin location, Glendale. Also included is the e-commerce presence of both companies.

Gearhead Outfitters was founded in 1997 by Herget, who said he desired to bring the active mountain lifestyle to his hometown of Jonesboro.

Rock/Creek’s first store was opened in 1987 by two outdoor instructors who dreamt of using specialty retail to bolster Chattanooga’s outdoor community and provide support for local nonprofit partners, according to the company.

Uncle Dan’s first opened its doors in Chicago in 1972 and quickly became one of the Midwest’s premier specialty outfitters. In 2018, Uncle Dan’s absorbed Erehwon Mountain Outfitter and now operates five storefronts in the Chicagoland area and one Glendale, Wis., location.