The Century Club celebrates industry stalwarts at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market

Ironwood, Michigan (December 14, 2015) – In celebration of their 15 years as caretakers of the Stormy Kromer brand, the Jacquart family and Stormy Kromer has created the Century Club to honor all the brands in the Outdoor market that have withstood the test of time for 100 years or more.

“Those of us fortunate enough to work with brands this old feel the weight of their heritage and a strong responsibility as the stewards of their future,” said Gina Jacquart Thorsen, President of Stormy Kromer. “With the Century Club we want to celebrate all the brands that have persevered and to hold them up as examples to the new brands entering the market as to what is possible.”

The inaugural Century Club induction ceremony will be hosted in the Stormy Kromer booth (Booth 81) on Friday January 8th at 5pm at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City, UT.

Stormy Kromer has sent invitations to over 50 exhibiting outdoor brands and retailers who were founded in 1916 or prior, including:

Grivel – 1818
Pittards – 1826
Woolrich – 1830
Johnson Woolen Mills – 1842
The Orvis Company – 1856
Mammut – 1862
Pendleton – 1863
Schoeller Textil – 1868
Helly Hansen – 1877
Diamond Brand – 1881
Duluth Pack – 1882
Mast General Store – 1883
Wolverine – 1883
Carhartt – 1889
Primus – 1892
Brunton – 1895
C.C. Filson Co. – 1897
Kamik – 1898
Jelly Belly Candy Company – 1898
Deuter – 1898
Fox River Socks – 1900
Cresent Knitting – 1902
Wigwam – 1905
Madshus – 1906
Tubb’s Snowshoes – 1906
Rossignol – 1907
Eagle’s Store – 1908
Bergans of Norway – 1908
L.L. Bean – 1912
Stanley – 1913
Volkl – 1914
Toko – 1916

Each inductee will be presented with a commemorative Century Club membership hat and asked to sign the membership book. Additionally, each member is asked to bring an item to add to the Stormy Kromer OR Time Capsule.

If you are an exhibitor or retailer attending Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and your company is 100 years or older and would like to attend the ceremony please contact Michael Collin of Pale Morning Media at Michael@palemorning.com for a formal invitation.

In 2001, Stormy Kromer was on the brink of becoming extinct. The Kromer Kap Company was going to discontinue making the iconic hats. When Bob Jacquart learned of the situation he felt it was unfathomable for the brand that was a symbol for many of the Upper Midwest to disappear. Over a coffee and a handshake, Jacquart Fabric Products acquired Stormy Kromer.

In the fifteen years that the Jacquart’s have been stewards of Stormy Kromer they have expanded the collection from one hat design to over thirty including women’s styles. Additionally, they have created apparel and accessory collections to complement their range of hats, all the while staying true to the brand’s foundation of creating practical functional gear for the outdoors.

About Stormy Kromer:
Established in 1903, Stormy Kromer is an outdoor apparel company comprised of genuine, hardworking artisans who strive to provide classic, yet contemporary products with the same passion, purity and practicality as the first Stormy Kromer cap over a century ago. Located in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula, today Stormy Kromer proudly continues its tradition of hand-crafting American made products and supporting American made jobs. For more information, visit www.stormykromer.com.

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