When a high-end Jackson Hole, Wyoming, clothing store cast its eyes upon other outdoor meccas, it feasted upon Bend, a similar winter and summer recreational vacation spot.

The Stio store at 844 NW Bond St. will only enhance the vibrancy that Bend’s downtown has to offer, said Katy Brooks, executive director of the Bend Chamber of Commerce.

With the lion’s share of visitors coming to Bend from Portland, Seattle and Eugene, many come to recreate in the region’s unique forests, lakes and rivers, but also want to cap off a day of activity with a dinner and a stroll downtown, said Nate Wyeth, Visit Bend vice president of marketing and communications.

“It’s important to have a thriving destination,” Brooks said. “It speaks to Bend as an attractive destination point that we can attract high end brands like Stio. It’s important to have a broad mix of stores downtown.”

But Stio, a company-owned store, is taking business away from an established store that had carried the Stio brand for about five years, said Outside In shop owner Angela Salido. It was a good seller, as well, said Salido, who is one of 60 non-corporate stores nationwide.

Stio is not the only corporate store to come to town recently, Salido said. Recently two brand stores opened up on NW Wall street, Title Nine and Fjallraven, she said.

“It was one of my biggest brands,” Salido said. “When brands come in and do this, set up a store in a town, they undercut their partners. Customers should be aware of that. I’m a local business owner. It’s important to think about where we choose to spend our dollars, if we want to stay a unique downtown.”

Bend’s downtown is predominantly a mix of locally-owned stores whose owners are members of the community, she said.

Stio had scouted out like-minded locations prior to the pandemic, and landed on Bend because it offered a similar lifestyle to Jackson Hole, said Stephen Sullivan, company CEO. The company now has locations in: Jackson Hole; Teton Village, Wyoming; Park City, Utah; Boulder, Colorado; Freeport, Maine; and Bend. Just last week it opened another shop in Boise, Idaho, and this fall will open another in Boston, Massechusetts.

When the company considers a new location, it looks for communities with an outdoor hub or an area with a large community of outdoor enthusiasts. Initially, Stio considered the Old Mill District or the Box Factory, but both those locations had a different mix of retailers. Ultimately, downtown suited their need for unique and eclectic, he said.

“We’re continuing to build out retail because we believe in retail, it’s part of our original thesis,” Sullivan said. “We love to ingratiate ourselves into a community.”

Since it opened its doors and website in 2012, Stio has always believed that face-to-face contact is important to retail sales.

“We believe in the personal experience, especially when you’re buying more expensive outerwear that you might want to try on,” Sullivan said. “It’s a profitable part of our business.”

The Stio business model includes a team of 10 to 15 employees, all hired from the local community, he said. In Bend, the store has seven employees. While retail is not considered a traded sector, it is a new business coming to town and can contribute to the economy as an economic driver, said Erin Chaiet, Economic Development for Central Oregon chief operating officer.

Retail jobs, while typically offering lower wages, circulate the same dollar, Chaiet said.

“Retail jobs, even though lower paying, are still an important part of the ecosystem, especially in smaller communities,” Chaiet said. “A vibrant retail sector adds amenities that can be a draw for employers, employees and visitors alike.”

Key to the Stio business model is encouraging employees to try out the products, Sullivan said. And in Bend, it’s no different. Employees are encouraged to test out products on the Deschutes River, mountain biking, skiing or hiking.

“When we started out, we wanted to cover the totality of the mountain/outdoor experience from top of the mountain to shirts and pants that people can wear to work in their daily life,” Sullivan said. “That’s been a big point of differentiation with our products.”

Since the store’s grand opening Aug. 19, it’s been met with a positive response from the community, he said.

“We felt the downtown was where the heart and soul of the community was,” Sullivan said. “We tend to keep our stores to boutique size. It’s more intimate. We see a pent-up demand here.”