Outdoor Enthusiast and Owner, Easton Outdoor Company
Adam grew up in Easton and attended Easton High School before heading off to Penn State University to study business logistics. Post-graduate life took him to California, where he worked for a few years before realizing that he wanted to take time off to travel the world for a while.
Five months later the travels came to an end and he returned to California to work for The North Face. That’s when he knew that he belonged in the outdoor industry. “I had always wanted to open my own business, and once I worked for The North Face, I knew this is what it’s going to be: a retail store selling outdoor products for people, whether they’re hiking, or camping, trail running, or rock climbing.”
In addition to finding his professional calling, Adam also met his wife Sarah while he was out in California. She’s a Vermont native who spent time working in Manhattan and San Francisco before they made their move to the Lehigh Valley to be closer to Adam’s family while they were raising their own.
“The Lehigh Valley offers a lot, and you don’t have to live in a major city where it’s just, in my opinion, hectic, and stressful, and you don’t see a lot of green space in major metropolitan areas,” Adam said.
The retail store allows Adam to keep up with top-of-the-line brands and the newest equipment in the industry. “I get boxes delivered here on a regular basis, and it’s kind of like Christmas morning for me all the time. I get to open the boxes, go through the product, and set my store and merchandise the way I envision.”
In addition to being closer to family, they enjoy the proximity that Easton offers to major metropolitan areas including New York City. They can hop on the bus and be in Manhattan in under 90 minutes, which is exactly what Sarah does once a week for work.
While it’s easy for Sarah and Adam to get into the city, it’s equally as easy for New Yorkers to come get away for a while here in Pennsylvania. The city has seen a surge of restaurants, retail, and people living downtown recently.
“Even within the last five years there’s been a lot of change. It seems to be becoming a busier area and there are a lot of people that want to move here. You want to be able to maybe own a home, and not pay too much tax like other states. You can still commute to your job in New Jersey, or New York, so you relocate to the Lehigh Valley.”
Asked about why he loves the Lehigh Valley, Adam gave an appropriate answer for the industry he’s in: “There are so many opportunities to get outside, you just have to look around a little bit. We have a wonderful trail system here and they’re now connecting trails that were not connected previously. We also have a ton of waterways around here with the Delaware River, the Lehigh River and any number of creeks throughout the Lehigh Valley that people can go and explore.”
Easton Outdoor Company is an outdoor specialty retail store specializing in apparel, equipment, and footwear with a staff that’s passionate about enjoying the great outdoors and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They celebrated their 8th anniversary this past October.
Live like a local:
Favorite Outdoor Activity: “Mountain biking, which is ironic because I don’t carry anything that’s biking related.”
Favorite Winter Activity: “Skiing. I started skiing in California in Tahoe, so I was a little spoiled from that sense, but sometimes will drive up to Vermont or ski locally at Blue Mountain or Shawnee.”
Date night spot: “We stay in Easton. There’s enough here and enough restaurants where we can keep it local.”