MACON, Ga. — Folks can now head to downtown Macon for their outdoor and sporting goods needs.
Ocmulgee Outfitters is a new outdoor recreation store located at 565 Poplar Street and it opened in late October.
The store has women's, men's, and kids clothing and shoes. It also has different things you might need for your next outdoor adventure, like kayaks and fishing rods.
Tanya Williams is the owner. She says she opened the new outdoor rec store because she wanted to be a part of downtown Macon's growth.
"I felt like it was lacking some retail opportunity," Williams said.
She says she's been in Central Georgia all her life and she wanted to open an outdoor rec store to give people more opportunities to venture out.
"Generally I think that people just don't go outside and do things because they don't know exactly where to start," Williams said.
The store also hosts group runs, hikes, and other events.
"If you didn't grow up in this area maybe you don't know the different places on the river to access the river, or different trails or hiking opportunities, fishing opportunities," she said. "I think that somebody needed to come into this area and teach our public how to utilize the resources that we have."
The store's next event is a group trail run on Dec. 1. It's a free weekly event held on Sunday evenings and led by a Mercer cross country athlete.
People who participate can also get a discounted beer at Ocmulgee Brewpub after the run.
The store also holds free workshops and group hiking. Williams says some events are free, but others that are more involved might require payment.
You can RSVP and find more information on the Facebook event page.
Williams says her staff and product selection sets Ocmulgee Outfitters apart from big retailers.
"We have specialty staff here for fly fishing, kayaking, backpacking, so we have been very careful in selecting staff and having everybody trained to be knowledgeable about the products and the services that we offer," she said.
All the products at the store are made to give customers optimal performance in their sport, Williams says.
The store also has Mercer and University of Georgia apparel, so you can support your favorite collegiate team in style.
"We feel like we've caught a lot of interest," she said. "Everyone that's come in has been very receptive and happy to see us downtown."
Ocmulgee Outfitters is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.
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