Eastern Mountain Sports
Encyclopedia
Eastern Mountain Sports (or EMS) is an outdoor apparel and equipment retail
er in the U.S. Northeast headquartered in Peterborough, New Hampshire
.
EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line. It also offers classes and climbing schools in the White Mountains
of New Hampshire
and the Shawangunk Ridge
of New York
, kayaking
classes, and adventure travel.
EMS is owned by the EMS Management Group, led by its current President and CEO.
At the same time, the principal mountaineering store, MOUNTAINEERING SUPPLY, owned by Gordon Perry, was located just off Commonwealth Avenue in Allston (Boston). This was the only source of rock climbing hardware in the Boston area.
In 1968, the two enterprises merged, and built the landmark 1041 Commonwealth Avenue store - at 10,000 sq. ft. the largest outdoor equipment/mountaineering store in New England. EMS/MS attracted the serious backpackers and regional mountaineers due to the wide range of product lines on display, and the experienced staff including but not limited to Jeffery Black, Tom Lyman, Richard Wilcox and George Billings.
McDonough and Furst sold the company in 1979 to The Franklin Mint
. In 1981, The Franklin Mint was in turn acquired by Warner Communications
(now part of Time Warner
). The combination was short lived: Warner sold The Franklin Mint in 1985. However, Warner retained Eastern Mountain Sports, which it subsequently sold to the American Retail Group.
Some years ago when it experienced financial problems, a new president was appointed, and she turned the company around, partly by attracting non-outdoor enthusiasts into the store through day-to-day clothing and a wide range of items such as school backpacks.
Since Will Manzer became President and CEO in September 2004, EMS has focused back towards being a specialty outdoors gear store. This started with a new logo
and a reorganization of all their stores. In the recent past EMS was heavily focused in malls, but the company has decided to slowly move towards more self-standing stores.
Announced in March 2010, Bob Mayerson is the new President.
, produced by Eastern Mountain Sports, that broadcast in 2006-07. 16 editions were produced.
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
er in the U.S. Northeast headquartered in Peterborough, New Hampshire
Peterborough, New Hampshire
Peterborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census. Home to the MacDowell Art Colony, the town is a popular tourist destination....
.
EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line. It also offers classes and climbing schools in the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and the Shawangunk Ridge
Shawangunk Ridge
The Shawangunk Ridge , also known as the Shawangunk Mountains or The Gunks, is a ridge of bedrock in Ulster County, Sullivan County and Orange County in the state of New York, extending from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains.The ridgetop, which widens considerably at...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
classes, and adventure travel.
EMS is owned by the EMS Management Group, led by its current President and CEO.
History
EMS was founded in 1967 in Wellesley, Massachusetts by two skiers from Denver, Colorado - (Alan McDonough who was running the family hotel chain, and Roger Furst, a lawyer whose office was in the McDonough complex.) Both had insightful business acumen, and realized the untapped market for outdoor gear in the Boston area. McDonough's first wife Karen was from New England. The first store on Linden St. in Wellesley carried the Gerry outdoor equipment line as well as downhill skis.At the same time, the principal mountaineering store, MOUNTAINEERING SUPPLY, owned by Gordon Perry, was located just off Commonwealth Avenue in Allston (Boston). This was the only source of rock climbing hardware in the Boston area.
In 1968, the two enterprises merged, and built the landmark 1041 Commonwealth Avenue store - at 10,000 sq. ft. the largest outdoor equipment/mountaineering store in New England. EMS/MS attracted the serious backpackers and regional mountaineers due to the wide range of product lines on display, and the experienced staff including but not limited to Jeffery Black, Tom Lyman, Richard Wilcox and George Billings.
McDonough and Furst sold the company in 1979 to The Franklin Mint
Franklin Mint
The Franklin Mint is a private corporation founded by Joseph Segel in 1964. The private mint operated from Wawa, Pennsylvania but that operation has now closed...
. In 1981, The Franklin Mint was in turn acquired by Warner Communications
Warner Communications
Warner Communications or Warner Communications, Inc. was established in 1971 when Kinney National Company spun off its non-entertainment assets, due to a financial scandal over its parking operations and changed its name....
(now part of Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
). The combination was short lived: Warner sold The Franklin Mint in 1985. However, Warner retained Eastern Mountain Sports, which it subsequently sold to the American Retail Group.
Some years ago when it experienced financial problems, a new president was appointed, and she turned the company around, partly by attracting non-outdoor enthusiasts into the store through day-to-day clothing and a wide range of items such as school backpacks.
Since Will Manzer became President and CEO in September 2004, EMS has focused back towards being a specialty outdoors gear store. This started with a new logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
and a reorganization of all their stores. In the recent past EMS was heavily focused in malls, but the company has decided to slowly move towards more self-standing stores.
Announced in March 2010, Bob Mayerson is the new President.
Blue Pizza
This was an outdoor sports podcastPodcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, produced by Eastern Mountain Sports, that broadcast in 2006-07. 16 editions were produced.