Halifax’s Take It Outside Elevated Closes For Rebranding
HALIFAX — A lot has changed with how we shop, and what we wear, since the pandemic changed our lives three years ago. For independent retailers like Sue Stanfield, that means having to change on the fly when trends evolve.
This month, Stanfield is making a big change to her outdoor clothing and lifestyle store Take it Outside Elevated, which is located at 1980 Vernon Street in Halifax. On February 1, she closed up shop. It will remain that way for two weeks before reopening under the name Adventure Is Life, which is being presented as the company’s discount brand.
It will remain Adventure is Life for six months before returning as a revamped Take it Outside Elevated. Shoppers who visit the Halifax location while it is branded as Adventure is Life will be able to buy brands like Arc-Teryx and Fjallraven at steep discounts.
“Three years ago, the market may have been ready for an elevated shopping experience like the one we offer but, the reality is, we’re living in a very different world now,” Stanfield said in a press release. “Even with the return-to-office movement, casual and chic is here to stay and fans of our brand still favor styles they can wear to both work and on their weekend adventures.”
In an interview with Huddle, Stanfield noted that shoppers are more “financially conscious” right now as they grapple with high inflation and other economic factors. That’s why, when Take it Outside Elevated returns in the fall of 2023, it will be more focused.
“It’s just a shift in the market,” said Stanfield. “We are coming back again as Take it Outside Elevated but it’ll be a different type of store. It’ll be our top six brands coming in the fall. So, instead of having everything in that location, we’ll just have those top brands featured.
“We’ll also have a variety of everything that we will have, but we are definitely looking for quality product that is more affordable.”
Stanfield also noted the winter months are a good time to launch her discount brand because it may prompt people to shop during the slower season.
“It’s a down time in the market; people don’t shop as much these two quarters, and if they are, they’re looking for a sale or bargain.”
Take it Outside first opened in 2012 in Truro. Since then, it added locations in Dartmouth and Halifax. Most recently, in 2022, a Take it Outside location opened in Moncton, becoming its first New Brunswick store. Stanfield also took over the Trail Shop in 2016 and now operates three of those locations.
Stanfield says her passion for owning these outdoor lifestyle and clothing stores comes from her own life and her own passion.
“I live it,” she said with a slight chuckle. “I’m my own best customer. We travel a lot; we’re a busy, active, family with two kids and two dogs and I like to look good but not feel stuffy.”
“I like quality products. I like brands with sustainable stories and I like being outdoors and active and not having to go through clothes every season; just having something that I can wear for a long time.”
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].