A well-known South Carolina outdoor apparel company got a new leader last year and with his experience at Nike and Burton Snowboards, we thought we’d check in to see what his plans are. Mike Switzer interviews Bryan Johnston, president of Huk Fishing and Nomad Outdoors in Charleston, SC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Switzer: Hello and welcome to another edition of the South Carolina Business Review. This is Mike Switzer. A well known South Carolina outdoor apparel company got a new leader last year and with his experience at Nike and Burton Snowboards, we thought we'd check in to see how things are going at his new gig. Brian Johnston is president of Huk Fishing and Nomad Outdoors. He joins us by phone now from the combined company's headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. Brian, welcome to the program.
Johnston: Glad, to be talking to you.
Switzer: Mike, tell us more about these companies and how you ended up here in Charleston as the new CEO.
Johnston: I'm from the South. I grew up in Atlanta, went to University of Georgia, traveled the world working for companies like Nike and Adidas Ultimate Fighting Championships, Burton Snowboards. And so we moved here about five years ago and I knew the private equity firm that owned the combined companies which operate under Mary Lina llc. And about two years ago they had a change of leadership with the companies and they asked me if I would step in and become the CEO and a board member of the company. And I've been here in that role for about 15 months.
Switzer: What do these companies do?
Johnston: The primary company, the biggest side of the company is Huk Fishing, spelled H U K. So we're predominantly a fishing apparel company. And then we have Nomad Outdoors and Nomad Outdoors is an outdoor apparel company. We basically have two different primary categories. People that are white tailed deer hunters and people who hunt turkeys. But we also have a whole lifestyle apparel company with that as well.
Switzer: And so was something going on with these two brands that required an intervention?
Johnston: You know it's a good question. I think that like golf, like many outdoor activities during COVID people had more disposable time so they over indexed on hobbies as much as they were trying to keep up with their jobs and their families. So you know, we had a really, strong period from 2020 to 2022. Little bit of some growth issues. In the 23, 24 period there was ah, a good CEO that was here that I knew who was relocating to the west coast. And it was really just an opportunity for me to come in and kind of share my expertise, help the brand get stabilized and then really set a new growth plan which we're rolling out right now, but really takes full effect in 27 and 2028.
Switzer: What can you share with us any of this new plan?
Johnston: Yeah, when Huk was introduced to the public in 2014, 2015, it was really an innovative brand. Most fishing companies at that point in time kind of felt like your dad's brand or felt like your grandfather's brand. And there's, there's nothing wrong with that. But they came in as a very young perspective on fishing, so really catered to that same 16 to 28 year old fishermen. You know, over time if you don't manage that, you kind of lose it. So we kind of started to skew a little bit older, maybe a little bit more classic. The product offering is a, much more collegiate kind of look. On the men's side, we really need to skew back to a younger look and feel still having an on water performance component, but really having a collegiate kind of look that young men are looking for. Our women's business is growing 48% a year. Our youth business is growing at an exponential rate. So what we've done for 27 and 28 is really double down in those areas of growth of women's and youth. But on the men's side, really gone back to apparel as equipment, which is kind of a maxim inside of the Nike Adidas world. And really done a better job of telling our performance stories with those products.
Switzer: Does this mean new advertising campaigns, more sales staff?
Johnston: Yeah, I'd say it's really more of like we're rolling out complete, what we call brand packages. So to give you a specific example, you know, we have a technology called A1A and it's really built around a very technical way that we can weave a performance sun top. So it feels almost like a Jacquard knit that you'd find in a, in a very expensive golf polo. The beauty of it is it has a very, very high performance component to it. You can wear it in the Keys early in the morning, you can wear it here in the Carolinas. But we're sending that product out to people who are fly fishing in Jackson Hole, fishing for King, salmon in Alaska. So what we're doing like most brands do these days, but you know, maybe we didn't do it as well as we could have. We're rolling out a product technology that has a very sports specific use. We're rolling out a brand campaign and then we're rolling out all of those things that come with it so that when you see it at our retail partners, people recognize the product before they even get into the store.
Switzer: Well, Brian, thank you so much for spending time with us today.
Johnston: Thank you so much.
Switzer: Brian Johnston is president of Huk Fishing and Nomad Outdoors, both based in Charleston, South Carolina. We will have a link to the companies posted at our webpage so you can learn more SouthCarolinaPublicRadio.org where you can hear this show again, and you can hear us again wherever you find podcasts. With the South Carolina Business Review, this is Mike Switzer.
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