Yeti Coolers is set to open flagship store in Austin, Texas in the first half of 2017. The store will be located at South Congress Avenue and Barton Springs Road as part of the South Central Waterfront Plan.
While Yeti is not sharing all of its plans for the space at 220 S. Congress Ave., the company says the store will also be a place for the community to gather for various events, such as concerts and film screenings. That plan includes converting a South Congress Avenue right-hand turn lane onto Barton Springs Road into a public green space that extends from the new Yeti Flagship, said city planner Alan Holt. The city could allow Yeti to build a sidewalk extension onto an existing sidewalk and make room for a rain garden, landscaping and public art, Holt said.
In July, the company filed documents for an initial public offering of stock. And in March, Yeti announced plans for a new 175,000-square-foot headquarters in Southwest Austin. The campus at Lantana Ridge off Southwest Parkway, which will include two 87,500-square-foot buildings with amenities including an archery range, sports courts, barbecue pits, a rooftop terrace and a jogging trail, is to be completed by summer 2017. The company had more than 300 employees as of early this year.
In 2012, Yeti sold a majority ownership stake to New York private equity firm Cortec Group for an undisclosed amount. Its revenue has surged dramatically since its founding, jumping to $468.9 million in 2015, according to securities filings, although high-end cooler sales have cooled of late.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the South Central Waterfront revitalization project, and to bring this historic building back to life,” said Corey Maynard, Yeti vice president for marketing. “The Yeti Flagship will be a destination for locals and tourists to celebrate our collective passion for the wild, and our roots here in Austin.”
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