Gregory Goes There

Little known to many fans of Gregory Mountain Products in North America, the brand has enjoyed a huge following in Asia for the past 25 years. In particular, Japanese consumers love the quality of the Gregory brand and the lifestyle that it represents. So much so that company founder Wayne Gregory is a minor celebrity in Japan. People recognize him and stop him on the street for autographs. Just ask him.

So it was a natural that Gregory’s first brand/flagship store opened in downtown Tokyo last week, on July 4. Located in the Shibuya area of Tokyo, a popular shopping district for younger city residents, the Gregory store is on a pedestrian-only street, which is also home to Patagonia’s top store in Japan, as well as flagship stores for Burton, Oakley, The North Face, Columbia, Millet and Cannondale, to name a few. The area, as you might imagine, is pretty popular among the outdoors set.

The new store will operate under a licensing agreement between Gregory and its exclusive distributor in Japan for the last 25 years, A and F Corporation.

Founder Wayne Gregory (yep, that’s him signing one of Gregory’s more lifestyle-oriented bags for one of the faithful) and Director of International Sales Dion Goldsworthy were on hand, along with Takao Akatsu, President of A and F, and Harry Kondo, Gregory’s Asia Pacific Merchandise Manager. They met with media and guests at a preview the evening before the store opened.

In signature Wayne style, Gregory served up some hors dourves that he cooked in his dutch oven, while folks enjoyed Kirin in Gregory camp cups.

Along with helping Gregory develop new merchandising ideas, the store will serve as a focal point for marketing initiatives across Japan, where Gregory is sold in approximately 800 stores. Visitors to Japan from across Asia will also find a comprehensive presentation of the brand to visitors.

And, of course, a place to meet Wayne, and hear a few tall tales.