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Inside Outdoor | FALL 2020 39 By Martin Vilaboy B uilt around the concept of “Dwelling Outdoors To- gether,” Snow Peak USA in early October officially welcomed the Portland, Ore. community inside its new U.S. headquarters and retail flagship store. In 20 years, Snow Peak has grown its U.S. presence from a modest distribu- torship to a 40-person team with retail locations on both coasts and plans for growth in the next two decades, said the company. Of course, grand open- ing weekend celebrations took place under COVID-19 safety protocols including social distancing, manda- tory masks and limited capacity. Snow Peak invited media and community members to tour the space in small groups during the week preceding the grand opening. “I first visited the U.S. many years ago and was inspired by its expansive natural beauty and many dedicated outdoor enthusiasts,” said Tohru Ya- mai, chairman of Snow Peak Inc. and CEO of Snow Peak USA. “I knew it was the place for Snow Peak to have an impact – and our HQ4 is a sig- nificant step in our North American expansion.” In 2011, Snow Peak opened HQ1 in Niigata, Japan, where it combined a retail store, campground and head- quarters, said Yamai. “Nothing like it had existed before, and it trans- formed the way we did business. In the same way, HQ4 merges our U.S. flagship store, restaurant and our brand offices – offering new avenues for connecting with customers and furthering our mission.” Partnering with Skylab Architec- ture, the 15,000-square-foot project features retail space on two levels, with the headquarters offices housed on the upper floor. Upon entry, visitors are greeted with a two-story mural of Snow Peak founder Yukio Yamai. De- sign features include an earthy atmo- sphere with dark stone, wood flooring and 100-year-old Douglas fir beams, paying homage to traditional Japa- nese timber framing. The second floor of the retail space includes an airy installation from Pacific Northwest Art- ists, a light-filled showroom and event space that evokes a closeness to the sky. Designed to be “a playground of outdoor equipment,” the space invites customers to touch, feel and test products, with demos and space for interactive camp exhibits. The ground floor also features Snow Peak’s bar and restaurant, Takibi. Translating to “bonfire” in Japanese, Takibi is anchored by an open wood- burning hearth and features Japanese inspired dishes and a hyper-local sup- ply chain drawn from Pacific Northwest farms and purveyors. An 1,800 square foot patio, surrounded by greenery completes the project, enabling Snow Peak to bring an outdoor experience to the heart of northwest Portland. “Our U.S. team will come to work daily in an environment designed to inspire them, and literally be able to walk from their desk and interact with customers shopping for our product within our retail store, enjoying our product in our restaurant, and engag- ing with the outdoor community in our event spaces,” said Matt Liddle, chief operating officer at Snow Peak USA. “Community is deeply important to Snow Peak and our headquarters is built with that in mind.” Construction on the project began in October of 2019, and continued under changing safety protocols throughout the spring of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The original opening ceremo- ny, scheduled for early September, was postponed due to the ongoing wildfires in Oregon. Snow Peak used the grand opening as an opportunity to collect and match donations of used outdoor shelters and basic necessities for those who have lost their homes in the fires and for supporting first responders. "Snow Peak has long held that time spent outdoors with others is restorative to the human spirit, and an antidote to the stresses of modern life," said Liddle. "As the fires burned across Oregon and much of the West Coast, the outdoors that so many escape to for tranquility was suddenly inaccessible. We want to do whatever we can to assist everyone who has been touched by this tragedy during an already challenging year.” m Snow Peak USA Opens Portland Headquarters, Flagship Store Brand Watch