VERMONT – For nearly 170 years, the Orvis name has been synonymous with the quiet ripple of a fly line and the rugged beauty of the Green Mountains. However, the Vermont-based outdoor legend recently confirmed a major restructuring that will reduce its physical footprint by nearly half by early 2026.
VERMONT – For nearly 170 years, the Orvis name has been synonymous with the quiet ripple of a fly line and the rugged beauty of the Green Mountains. However, the Vermont-based outdoor legend recently confirmed a major restructuring that will reduce its physical footprint by nearly half by early 2026.Orvis plans to close 31 full-price retail stores and 5 outlet locations nationwide. While the news has sparked concern among local residents about the brand "closing for good" in its home state, the reality is a bit more nuanced: Orvis isn't leaving Vermont—it’s retrenching into it.
The Strategy: Back to the Current
The sweeping closures are part of a deliberate pivot by President Simon Perkins to steer the company away from being a "lifestyle" brand and back toward its technical roots. In a statement, Perkins cited an "unprecedented tariff landscape" and shifting market demands as the primary drivers behind the decision.
"To ensure a durable brand and model for decades to come, we are focusing on our core strengths and making the difficult but necessary decision to rescale the business," Perkins stated.
The goal is to return the brand's primary focus to fly fishing and wingshooting, the two pillars upon which Charles F. Orvis founded the company in Manchester in 1856.
What’s Closing (and What’s Staying)
While the list of 36 closing locations spans nearly 20 states—including major hubs in Pennsylvania, Texas, and New York—the Manchester, Vermont, flagship store and the famous rod shop are slated to remain open. In fact, Orvis recently consolidated its corporate operations, moving its headquarters from a sprawling 350-acre campus in Sunderland back to a tighter, more "campus-like" environment in Manchester to better suit a hybrid workforce.
A Changing Landscape
The restructuring isn't just about brick-and-mortar stores. Orvis is also discontinuing its iconic mail-order catalog, once a staple on American coffee tables. The company will instead lean on its network of 550+ independent dealers and its digital platform to reach customers.
For Vermont, the news is bittersweet. While the brand’s headquarters and flagship presence remain a cornerstone of the Manchester economy, the reduction in workforce—totaling roughly 160 employees over the last two years—marks a somber chapter for a company that has long been one of the state's most prestigious employers.
The "Last Release"
Shoppers can expect "substantial savings" at closing locations throughout 2025 as the company clears out inventory that no longer fits its focused technical mission. These "Last Release" items represent the final iteration of the brand's broader lifestyle apparel before it narrows its scope to world-class fishing gear and upland hunting equipment.
