Sunderland, Vermont-based Orvis, an iconic retail and mail-order business specializing in fly fishing, hunting, and sporting goods, has announced that it will undergo a restructuring that will result in some closed retail stores and the discontinuation of its printed catalog. The company will also relocate its headquarters from Sunderland, Vermont to smaller offices in Manchester, Vermont, to support its planned hybrid work environment.”
The restructuring will impact 112 employees, approximately 8% of its workforce.
According to Orvis President Simon Perkins, “Orvis is in a period of business evolution that requires us to think differently. Over the course of our nearly 170-year history, the company has experienced similar cycles, but today’s challenges are new, and they require us to be bold in order to continue sharing stories, experiences and products that inspire our customers well into the future.”
“The people we are saying goodbye to have made indelible impacts on the brand, their colleagues and the lives of our customers. We are investing the time, care and resources needed to honor and support them throughout this process.”
“As we continue an evolution of a hybrid work environment that supports our people, culture, and local community, Orvis has made the decision to commit to a future Manchester Campus headquarters experience. The Manchester Campus is defined as our Flagship Store, the Manchester Outlet, the Orvis Fly-Fishing School, and the Orvis Rod Shop.”
“It will allow Orvis teams to build a stronger culture and community both internally and externally, bringing associates across the company together within Manchester while also allowing us to be closer to our retail customers and Rod Shop product innovations.
“It will afford us the opportunity to intentionally design a hybrid workplace and culture rooted in our core values. It puts us in immediate proximity to places where our brand aspirations come to life – in our Flagship store, in the place where we build the best rods in the world, and where we teach people to fly fish.”
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?