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Casual Adventure Outfitters faced an unexpectedly quiet stretch on Small Business Saturday, with four experienced employees ready but few customers in the store. Owner and manager Eric Stern said the lull did not tell the full story.
Business had been stronger earlier, he said, and the rise of “Cyber Week” has blurred the boundaries between Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. Customers now spread their shopping across several days, both in the Arlington store and online from across the United States and abroad.
The changing pattern makes staffing difficult. A slow hour can quickly give way to several hours of heavy traffic, forcing the store to adjust its holiday plans in real time. Stern compared the approach to baseball: consistently pursuing base hits while taking home runs when they come.
The holidays also remain a reunion season for the longtime family business. Customers visit to discuss recent adventures and future trips, while former employees return to reminisce, meet current staff members and look through old photographs.
National recognition for a local retailer
The store’s adaptability came with national recognition in 2024. In July, the National Retail Federation named Casual Adventure Outfitters one of its America’s Retail Champions.
Now in its seventh year, the program honors small retailers that participate in public policy debates affecting their industry at the local, state and federal levels. State retail associations and industry peers nominate businesses based on their public-policy engagement.
Forty-four retailers from 27 states were selected for the 2024 program, including five finalists. Neil Abramson of ECi Stores in Leominster, Massachusetts, ultimately received the top America’s Retail Champion title during the Retail Advocates Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 25.
Stern, the fourth generation of his family to represent the Arlington business, said the recognition demonstrated how a retailer with a small physical footprint can have a broader impact. The summit allowed retailers to exchange ideas, discuss industry challenges and meet lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Casual Adventure’s display at the event highlighted different parts of its history and community ties. It included a miniature replica of a Mountain 25 Tent from the North Face 1990 Trans-Antarctica Expedition and a Rawlings baseball signed by Arlington Little League and Arlington Babe Ruth customers who bought bats from the store that year.
The National Retail Federation said small companies form the backbone of the industry. More than 98 percent of retail businesses employ fewer than 50 people.
Casual Adventure came close to closing several years ago, but it survived and received nominations for multiple national awards in 2024. Its longtime customers know the store for outdoor equipment, personalized service and knowledgeable employees, as well as its support for athletes, scouts, fundraisers, environmental causes and community events.
Conversations inside the shop can range from weekend hikes and international expeditions to the finer points of sock liners—a familiar mix for a business still finding ways to connect with customers after decades in Arlington.