Gander Outdoors has closed its Northwest Peoria, Ill., outlet for good.
Gander Outdoors, a hunting-fishing-camping store near The Shoppes at Grand Prairie, has been stripped of its exterior signs and shuttered. A message posted on its doors confirmed its permanent closure.
This story by Nick Vlahos originally appeared in Pekin Daily Times.
“We have enjoyed serving our customers in the community and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the closure of this store,” the message states, in part.
The message also refers customers to a Gander Outdoors store in Springfield and a Camping World store in Davenport, Iowa.
In 2017, Camping World Holdings purchased what then was known as Gander Mountain, after it filed for bankruptcy.
Gander Mountain had been open for years in Peoria, at 5114 W. Holiday Drive. But like other outlets in the chain, it closed after bankruptcy was filed.
The 31,000-square-foot Peoria store reopened in June 2018 as Gander Outdoors.
But last month, multiple reports stated Lincolnshire-based Camping World planned to refocus on sales and service of recreational vehicles and accessories. That would result in the shuttering of as many as 37 stores that don’t sell or service RVs.
Those items were not part of the Peoria store’s repertoire, evidently.
“We believe the sale and/or servicing of recreational vehicles is our core and most important offering and, with the RV and outdoor consumer crossover, we believe there is an opportunity to continue growing our market share and improve our financial performance through the operation of locations with RV sales and/or service and, when feasible, our hunting, fishing and camping products,” Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis said in a statement.
