20 Years Ago...

Here in our weekly blog, we usually try to keep it to product reviews and events that our customers may be interested in---we try not to write about ourselves. However, this calls for something special.

Many of our customers may not know it, but the 20th anniversary of our Jacksonville location is just around the corner. Furthermore, our 3 other locations have been serving south Florida for over 40 years. Just the other day I was helping a customer that commented to me that our store had been here "as long as he could remember..." Another young man said he "shopped at Army Navy Outdoors all his life..." this customer is 22 years old and he meant this literally! These conversations forced me to remember just how long we've been here--and I realized we've created life-long customers. People have been coming in since they were little kids because they love paintball, army gear or camping---and now they bring in their kids who are crazy about the same things. I'm also proud to say we've created a strong family of loyal employees. Just the other day I had the privilige of taking an employee to lunch who just reached his 10 year anniversary with us--and he started with us long after he had retired from a previous career. In addition, one of our general managers from south Florida is still with us after 35 years! We wouldn't be the company we are today without hard working folks like these. The store has changed and evolved over the years--and it hasn't always been smooth sailing.Yet, we continue to serve our customers the best way we know how: great products and great service at a great price. I started this business when I was just 20 years old--and I recently became a father myself. My son is only 2 weeks old but I promise to continue to work hard so that Army Navy Outdoors will still be a company he can be proud of 20 years from now.