A Macon outdoor store is opening a new location in Forsyth. Here are the details:

A downtown Macon outdoor store is branching out to the neighboring city of Forsyth with a new store that opened this week.

Ocmulgee Outfitters opened a new location at 45 North Kimball St. in Forsyth nearly a year after the Macon store launched, said Tanya Williams, owner of the stores.

“I grew up in Forsyth. Forsyth is my hometown. So I knew before I opened Macon that if it went well and that store was successful, that I’d like to put the second location in Forsyth. I didn’t start actively pursuing it until May of this year,” Williams said.

The new store is located next to Fox City Brewing Co. and is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, according to Ocmulgee Outfitters’ Facebook page.

Starting an outdoor store in downtown Macon

Ocmulgee Outfitters, at 565 Poplar St. in Macon, opened on Nov. 1, 2019 just in time for the holidays, which Williams said helped her start her business strong.

“I just felt like the outdoor industry was under represented in Macon, and not only was it under represented for retail, but it’s under represented for opportunities,” Williams said.

Everyone says there is nothing to do in Middle Georgia, Williams said, but Macon has the Ocmulgee River and several great parks to enjoy the outdoors, she said.

Plus, Williams said cities like Columbus and Atlanta have outdoor stores besides big box stores.

“I just felt like it was something that Macon was missing. There was a good opportunity in Macon for not only the products that people needed, but also just... the knowledge and information of the outdoor lifestyle,” she said.

The store has had great reception over the past year, and in addition to local visitors, Williams said she gets some travelers coming through the store.

“I’m very pleased with our success,” she said. “It’s been a learning experience for me, but I think it’s gone well and that we’ve been well received and supported by the local people.”

The outdoor industry during the coronavirus pandemic

Although Williams said she can’t compare her sales this summer to the previous summer because the store wasn’t open yet, the store has done well even during the coronavirus pandemic.

“In Middle Georgia, people are dedicated to support our small businesses. People want to see the economy do well. People know that small businesses have struggled during the coronavirus, and I just get a lot of people that come in and say, ‘We know we don’t want to shop big box stores. We would rather support our local-owned businesses.’”

Although she said they probably had a decrease in clothing sales, outdoor gear, such as hiking boots and kayaks, continued to sell well because people are looking for things to do outside, she said.

The demand for kayaks in particular outpaced their supply at one point, but their vendors were able to catch up and finally restock their shelves, she said.

“I think with coronavirus, they, even more, are dedicated to supporting local businesses because they know that it’s been a struggle, and these people are the same ones that your kids go to school their kids and play ball with their kids and all this. So, I think there’s been a renewed investment or renewed interest in the general population to support small businesses during the pandemic,” she said.

A new venture in Forsyth

Because the Macon store has been successful, Williams said she decided it was a good time to open the second location in Forsyth.

“I was willing to take this risk to this second store because I thought that Forsyth needed retail,” she said. “I just wanted to support my hometown.”

Forsyth has a great downtown that has gotten several new businesses including a Mexican restaurant and Fox City Brewing Co., she said.

Plus, Forsyth gets a lot of traffic from Interstate-75, she said. The new store is a little smaller than the Macon store, but it has all of the same items as the Macon store, including shoes, clothes, fly fishing gear, kayaks and backpacks, Williams said.

“Right now, Forsyth is the sweet spot with opportunities for dining and shopping, but it still feels like a small town,” she said. “We’re just bringing everything a little bit further north.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM.