Clyde River Outfitters

Tyler Hebert, a local businessman, and his brother Blair took their passion for outdoor recreation (hunting, fishing, etc.) and saw an opportunity to make a living from it by purchasing Clyde River Outfitters (CRO) in Island Pond, VT in March 2011. CRO is a retail store that sells all types of outdoor related needs for hunting, fishing, camping, and shooting sports.

The Heberts purchased the store with financial assistance from NCIC. They started expanding the store’s inventory and made improvements to the overall look and feel of the store. “I wasn’t versed in the service business, so NCIC was a valuable resource,” said Tyler. “Our NCIC Business Resource Manager sat down with us and discussed all aspects of business – merchandising, the look of the store, accounting – I can’t say enough good things about their help.”

The store is well situated across from Island Pond, and caters to many of the local residents and lake tourists. The Heberts turned to NCIC for a loan to build new display cases and to help pay for marketing and advertising to target their businesses and markets. They also took advantage of NCIC’s marketing technical assistance to help with window display concepts, floor layouts, and general curb appeal suggestions.

The Heberts have re-branded the store to make it the premier outlet for outdoorsmen and also for first responders, such as policemen and firemen. CRO is Vermont’s first full-line supplier of 5.11 tactical clothing, the #1 brand for public safety and tactical operators, as well as offering a large selection of tactical weapons/firearms. CRO now draws customers from across Vermont and into NH. “I was a volunteer firefighter and love the outdoors, so I am really passionate about this business,” said Tyler. “NCIC shares my enthusiasm and has helped us get to where we are today.”

To learn more about Clyde River Outfitters, visit the store’s Facebook page at www.crotactical.com.