Mountain Hardwear Plans New Branded Store in Tokyo, Japan

Mountain Hardwear Plans New Branded Store in Tokyo, Japan
New retail location will showcase innovative Mountain Hard Wear® and Montrail® brands

RICHMOND, Calif. (August 17, 2009) – Mountain Hardwear Inc., a leading mountaineering, outdoor equipment and clothing company, announced today it will open a store in the exclusive Harajuku neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan, showcasing Mountain Hard Wear apparel and equipment and Montrail footwear. The Grand Opening celebration will take place on September 10th 2009.

The new store is Mountain Hardwear’s third company-owned branded store worldwide, joining the company’s Seattle store that opened in December 2008 and the Portland, Oregon store that opened in April 2008.

“The opening of the new Tokyo store represents the popularity and global appeal of sports like mountaineering, skiing and trail running. We are seeing increasing interest and participation in these activities throughout Japan, and as these sports continue to grow, so has awareness and demand for Mountain Hard Wear and Montrail products,” said president of Mountain Hardwear and Montrail, Mike Wallenfels.

According to Wallenfels, Japan’s outdoor market has become increasingly health conscious and trekking, bicycle riding and trail running are becoming very popular outdoor activities. “Our vision for the Mountain Hardwear store is that it will reflect the climbing and mountain culture and passion on which our brand is built,” he added.

The new Harajuku store is located at 6-18-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo and measures 198 square meters or 2100 square feet. “The store is intended to reinforce our brand messages and consumer recognition in the market. We expect to see this store elevate overall brand awareness and increase consumer demand for Mountain Hard Wear and Montrail products across our existing base of retailer partners,” said Wallenfels.

Mountain Hardwear’s Tokyo store will celebrate its Grand Opening on September 10th 2009 and will feature appearances by four local athletes including a trail runner and mountain guide.


About Mountain Hardwear:
Mountain Hardwear, Inc. makes cutting edge mountaineering and outdoor equipment, apparel and accessories for ultimate performance in extreme conditions. Established in 1993 by a group of outdoor industry veterans, Mountain Hardwear is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company based in Richmond, Calif. Mountain Hardwear distributes its products through specialty outdoor and sporting goods retailers throughout the United States and over 40 countries worldwide. Mountain Hardwear has won numerous product and customer service awards since its inception, reflecting the company’s commitment and passion toward innovation. It’s our relentless drive to create the absolute best that makes us who we are. Mountain Hardwear. PERFORMANCE ELEVATEDâ„¢. www.mountainhardwear.com.

About Montrail:
Established in 1993, Montrail is a premium outdoor footwear brand known for its technical, high performance trail running and hiking footwear for outdoor enthusiasts. Montrail sells footwear to retailers in the United States and in 29 countries worldwide. In 1996, Montrail embarked on a mission to improve the standard for comfort and fit in footwear by creating IntegraFitâ„¢, its proprietary fit technology. To learn more about Montrail visit www.montrail.com.