330,000-square-foot
founded in 1970
- 1970 founded by Gary Olen
- 1977 first Sportsman’s Guide catalog
- 2012 acquired by Northern Tool
- August 2021 acquired by BHG Ventures
- products including: Hunting, Fishing, Shooting Sports, Camping, Apparel, Tools and Equipment
- Nobody sells more genuine Military Surplus gear than Sportsman’s Guide
Sportsman’s Guide
411 Farwell Avenue
P.O. Box 239
South St. Paul, MN 55075-0239
1-800-888-3006
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/
About Sportsman’s Guide
Sportsman’s Guide is a longtime outdoor gear catalog company based in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Gary Olen started the business in his basement in the winter of 1970, and its first product was a patch for hunting jackets. A one-page catalog followed in the late 1970s, and the company grew into one of the best-known mail-order names in hunting, shooting and camping, mailing eight catalogs a year by 1992. Its 330,000-square-foot building on Farwell Avenue houses its catalog and website operations.
For gun owners, Sportsman’s Guide is especially known for its long association with military surplus gear and for its own outdoor brands such as Guide Gear, HuntRite and HQ ISSUE. Ownership has changed several times: the Redcats group acquired the company in 2006, Northern Tool + Equipment bought it in 2012, and in August 2021 Michigan-based private investment firm BHG Ventures acquired Sportsman’s Guide together with The Golf Warehouse. The company continues to operate under BHG Ventures ownership.
Key Facts
- 1970: Gary Olen founds the business in his basement
- Late 1970s: First one-page catalog mailed (sources cite 1976 or 1977)
- 1992: Mailing eight catalogs a year
- 2006: Acquired by the American subsidiary of the Redcats group
- November 2012: Acquired by Northern Tool + Equipment
- August 2021: Acquired by BHG Ventures of Southfield, Michigan
Sources
- The Sportsman’s Guide – Wikipedia
- The Sportsman’s Guide, Inc. History – Funding Universe
- Northern Tool and Sportsman’s Guide: Merging in Manly Markets – Twin Cities Business
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