Outdoors Inc. is a local, family-owned business that has been bringing enthusiasm for open-air sportsmanship to the Memphis community for the last 50 years. Joe Royer, founder and president of Outdoors, Inc., has evolved the mission of Outdoors, Inc. with the changing passions of the Memphis community, showing their dedication to providing the best quality products for their dedicated customers and friends.
Joe Royer grew up spending his time outdoors with his father, who instilled in him an interest in forestry. “He taught me all about flowers and trees and all of the beauty that could be seen in nature,” Joe remembers. During college at the University of Memphis, Joe studied Civil and Environmental Engineering while interning on the Mississippi River through the Corps of Engineers. If this was not enough to indicate his passion for the outdoors, Joe was also an avid paddler and racer.
After graduating with his master’s degree in environmental engineering, Joe accepted a position doing environmental and water engineering work for a firm based in New York City. However, within a few years, Joe was being called again to work outdoors and decided to open his own shop to sell paddling equipment in Memphis. In 1974, Joe and his friend and fellow paddle shop owner Lawrence Migliara decided to combine forces and opened Outdoors, Inc. “I decided to leave my comfortable job and follow my passion, which was a scary decision at first but ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Joe remembers. Over the next few years, Joe and Lawrence expanded their offerings beyond paddle equipment and now provide gear to equip hikers, runners, climbers, and cyclists.
Though Memphis is not often highlighted as an “outdoorsy” city, those who live here know that those who look will find plenty of opportunities to get in touch with nature. Joe sought to spread his love for paddling to the community by teaching an introductory class at the University of Memphis, and what he expected to be attended by just a few, ended up being a popular continuing education course that he taught for 25 years. Additionally, Outdoors, Inc. began hosting an annual paddling race, which brought in world-renowned paddling champions to help continue to bring this love of paddling to the Memphis community. “The Mississippi River is an amazing training ground for canoe and kayak races,” Joe says. “Once people move past the stigma that the river is too big and scary to race in, they realize it is a really fun time, and it’s right at our doorstep.”
In addition to bringing his passion for paddling to Memphians, Joe has become an avid cyclist. He has ridden some of the most challenging trails in the world, including traveling to Norway, Scotland, France, and even the Matterhorn, but recognizes that all of these achievements are due to his local training. “All of my training and every skill I’ve learned has been in Shelby County. We have everything we need here to train high-achieving cyclists,” Joe says. Outdoors, Inc. further supports the cycling community by sponsoring the Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club and by hosting the annual Outdoors Inc. Grit & Grind Gravel Race.
The focus of Outdoors, Inc. has been and will continue to be human-powered recreation. Joe and his team strive to provide the best gear to keep Memphians moving between paddling, climbing, hiking, trail running, and cycling. Joe’s daughter, Mary Royer New, is now the CEO of Outdoors, Inc., and Joe reflects on the impact that Mary and the rest of the staff have made on the business. “Much of our success over the last 50 years has been due to our incredibly dedicated and intelligent staff. Right now, we have staff from the University of Memphis, Rhodes, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss with different backgrounds, but all have the common goal of keeping Memphians outdoors and active,” Joe says. The Memphis Health + Fitness community looks forward to the next 50 years of finding their adventure with Outdoors, Inc.!
Register for the Outdoors Inc. Grit & Grind Gravel Race, hosted at Ducks Unlimited Park in West Memphis on Sunday, November 3, by visiting Outdoorsinc.com.
By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens
