Mountain Warehouse snaps up US sports brand in $10m rescue deal

Mountain Warehouse has acquired key assets of New England-based EMS, saving 100 jobs at the retailer that filed for Chapter 11 protection in June this year.

The group will pay $5m (£3.8m) for the EMS brand, website and seven profitable stores and around $5m more for other assets. 

Mountain Warehouse said EMS will continue to operate as a standalone brand within the group, while the brand’s buying team will stay based in the US.

EMS opened its first store in Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1967 and has since grown to partner with leading brands including The North Face, Smartwool and Oboz, as well as developing its own-label product range.

The brand’s website and seven stores reported combined sales of nearly $27m (£20.5m) last year. EMS filed for Chapter 11 protection after it was sold to GoDigital Media by Frasers in May 2022. 

Mountain Warehouse has been operating in North America for more than a decade through more than 50 stores, with the region contributing £65m ($85.5m) to the group’s annual sales.

Mark Neale, founder and CEO of Mountain Warehouse, said: “We plan to retain the iconic EMS brand, which has a great heritage and DNA and resonates with huge numbers of long-standing customers. We will also continue to work with the highest-quality and best-known outdoor brands in the world to stabilise and then grow the business.

“We are convinced that there is a great business here, with a tremendous pedigree, and passionate people who can help us understand the market even better and create a bright future.”