Northwoods Wholesale Outlet: From kayaks and crossbows to birdseed and boots

Northwoods Wholesale Outlet has been a go-to for all things outdoors for locals and those traveling Up North for more than 25 years. The store, located at 229 W. Fifth St. in the Bay County community of Pinconning, has been a family affair since brothers Marty and Tom Hornacek opened the doors with a single cash register in 1999.

Today, the second generation runs the business. Son-in-law Michael Pavan took over almost five years ago after Marty decided to retire.

Route Bay City talked to Pavan about owning and operating the store, how the team maintains low prices, the eclectic collection of merchandise, and why it’s a destination spot for people heading Up North.

Graphic courtesy of Northwoods Wholesale OutletQUESTION: How do you describe Northwoods Wholesale Outlet to people?

ANSWER: The store grew out of our view to provide affordable outdoor equipment to enthusiasts and families.  We strongly believe families and people do much better when they have an opportunity to experience the outdoors. And the whole business was built on our interest in helping people get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Q: Northwoods is truly a family-run business. How has the family been involved in operations?

A: It’s really been an all-in-the-family business. My sister-in-law recently retired as the Director of Human Resources. Her husband, Bob, is the Store Director, and now my sons are involved, too.

Q: How did the store become a must-stop destination for people driving on I-75 heading Up North.

A: We hear from customers all the time, saying “It's a must stop every time we go Up North.” If you're on your way Up North from the Detroit area – which is, by the way, our biggest customer market – you're going to find pretty much everything that you need to enjoy the outdoors affordably and safely. It’s an easy stop off the highway, too.

Photo courtesy of Northwoods Wholesale OutletOne-of-a-kind items fill the shelves inside Northwoods. You'll find unique home decor, groceries, and pretty much everything you need for a camping, fishing, or hunting weekend.Q: What are Northwoods hottest sellers?

A: During the pandemic, we sold more than 10,000 kayaks. This made Northwoods one of the largest kayak dealers in Michigan. Crossbows are a big seller too, and, amazingly, we sell a ton of bird seed. We usually sell more than 1.5 million pounds of bird seed per year. Our fishing department is enormous and very popular. Suppliers tell us it’s one of the largest in the state. Same with our hunting section. One of the biggest growth areas has been food. We’ve increased and improved what we carry, including meat and grocery products. It’s the convenience factor. Customers can come in and grab something for outdoor activities and get some snacks and ingredients for a quick easy meal.

Q: How do you continue to offer such low prices and such an eclectic selection?

A: “Outlet” is still part of the business, but it's not just off-brand stuff. For example, the Muck Boot Company will come to us asking us to buy a truckload full of boots. For Muck, it's one telephone call and we take the whole truck and we can offer a fabulous deal to our customers. It's the first-run premium products that suppliers are looking to move and we have a longstanding network established with lots of manufacturers, so we’re able to continue to offer affordable high quality merchandise.

Photo courtesy of Northwoods Wholesale OutletAntique cars fill the parking lot outside Northwoods Wholesale Outlet during a special summer event.Q: What’s different about Northwoods in the last five years with change of ownership?

A:  It would be the business operation side, which is kind of boring, but it has a customer benefit. We've invested a lot in what you’d consider infrastructure. We put in a POS (Point of Sale) system. We've shored up our e-commerce capabilities. We’ve made tremendous progress on the back end, which helps us have the right products, the right quantities, and the best prices for our customers.

Photo courtesy of Northwoods Wholesale OutletSeasonal decorations incorporate Northwoods heritage as a provider of outdoor sports equipment.Q: Who do you consider competitors of Northwoods?

A: The biggest competitors have been e-commerce and online shopping. Amazon and all of the manufacturers, who were exclusively dealer organizations, have now opened their own retail websites and are selling directly to consumers. So e-commerce has played a big part in the business. It's a plus and minus, but it's been a plus for us as well. However, there's a lot more competition as a result of it. There are also others selling some of the merchandise we carry nowadays. It seems like everybody's selling kayaks now. I go to the grocery store and buy a kayak. We strive ourselves in offering a wide variety of higher quality items.

Q: What’s your vision for the future of Northwoods?

A: We want to become the “ultimate rest stop” for people traveling Up North. Customers can stop in on their way to camping or cottage, hunting or fishing, and other outdoor activities, grab everything they need at a great price. We have clean bathrooms for a pit stop and an entertaining shopping experience.