Overhauled shopping experience in remodeled stores sets standard for retailer’s future plans
MINNEAPOLIS (May 16, 2011) – In four East Coast Gander Mountain stores, customers are enjoying a more dynamic shopping experience thanks to remodeling work recently completed by Ryan Companies. Ryan Companies performed ambitious remodels over the course of the last year at stores in Roanoke, Va., Greensboro, N.C., New Hartford, N.Y. and Lake Mary, Fla.

The store remodels are an integral part of Gander Mountain’s recent efforts to strengthen its position as a high-end specialty retailer. That included revamping the stores from a typical warehouse shopping environment to a more rustic-inspired look and feel. Gander Mountain also incorporated more interactive product demos and activities for children and families, increased product selection, and a new Tech Center in the middle of the store where customers can go hands-on with a wide variety of gadgets and high-end electronics.

Ryan transformed the space by updating all of the finishes, and rearranging and reinstalling departments and product displays. Over the past decade, Ryan has built numerous stores for Gander Mountain across the country, and has done some remodels, but nothing on the scale of this project.

Each store remained open during renovations, with most of the work invisible to customers. Ryan accomplished this by closely coordinating logistics with Gander Mountain, and by completing almost all of the remodeling during off-hours, and on nights and weekends. The remodel was also done in phases, with Ryan completing one 30-by-30-foot section of the store at a time, then moving on to the next phase. 

“Our goal was to make sure Gander Mountain’s stores kept running smoothly during the reconstruction process,” explained Mike Rother, director of operations at Ryan Companies. “The only way customers were aware of the work going on was if they came in more than once during the remodel and noticed the changes.”

Gander Mountain held grand re-openings at the four stores in February, and the company hopes to similarly remodel all 116 of its stores in the coming years. Coinciding with the remodeling projects, Ryan Companies helped debut the first Gander Mountain Academy shooting range and firearms-training facility in Lake Mary.  

“Our previous experience working with Gander Mountain gave us a strong understanding of the company’s brand, core values and philosophy,” Rother said. “That really helped us understand where they wanted to go with this project and achieve that vision.”

About Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a leading national commercial real estate firm offering integrated design-build and development, as well as asset, property and facilities management services to customers.  Ryan, a family-owned business committed to building lasting relationships, uses a single-source approach that offers flexibility in defining the scope of a project and strength in providing effective, timely solutions resulting in a higher certainty of success. Founded 71 years ago in northern Minnesota, Ryan currently owns and manages 10.9 million square feet of leased space and has offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, Fla., Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa.  Information can be found at www.ryancompanies.com.

Editor’s Note: Interviews with Ryan executives are available by contacting Madeline Riggs at 612-455-1755 or mriggs@psbpr.com.