Gander emerges from bankruptcy as new entity, will reopen store Wednesday

December 13, 2017 at 1:24AM
Gander Outdoors, the rebranded Gander Mountain outdoors chain, will open a store in Lakeville on Wednesday. The company's webpage, shown here, has also been updated with its new logo. (Evan Ramstad/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

From the ashes of the Gander Mountain bankruptcy, a new store will emerge Wednesday in Lakeville.

Gander Outdoors opens midafternoon in the same location at 16861 Kenyon Av. that closed this summer.

It is the first Gander Mountain in Minnesota to reopen under the new name. Stores in Baxter, Bemidji, Forest Lake, and Hermantown (Duluth) are also expected to reopen.

Owner Marcus Lemonis, a CNBC personality and chairman of the parent company Camping World Holdings, also hopes to reopen in Woodbury in a new location.

Gander Mountain stores in Blaine, Eden Prairie, Mankato, Rochester, Rogers and St. Cloud closed and are not expected to reopen.

Gander Outdoors offers gear and accessories for hunting, fishing, camping and outdoor biking and water sports. The fate of the firearms and shooting range at some Gander Mountain stores is unclear.

Lemonis said earlier this year that Gander Mountain's billing itself as "America's Firearm Superstore" hurt the business. Since President Donald Trump has taken office, gun sales have plummeted.

In an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in October, Camping World indicated plans to open 15 to 20 Gander stores by March and 40 to 45 more by October.

Lemonis owns Camping World locations in Rogers and Monticello, a Union 73 clothing store in City Center in Minneapolis and seven Bentley's Pet Stuff stores.

He moved the headquarters of Gander Mountain to Bloomington from St. Paul.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633

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John Ewoldt

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John Ewoldt is a business reporter for the Star Tribune. He writes about small and large retailers including supermarkets, restaurants, consumer issues and trends, and personal finance.  

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