Outdoors Moving to East Hampton

Nine months after starting a petition to show the landlords how much customers wanted the Outdoors store to stay in its Amagansett location, the store is readying for a move to East Hampton.

Barry Adelman, who took over the retail clothing, sporting goods and accessories store 15 years ago, said he's excited for the change. He signed a lease for 30 Park Place, a two-story building behind Main Street, off the Reutershan's parking lot, where the Gubbin's stores and John Papas Cafe are also located. Outdoors will relocate there by the end of February.

Adelman said last week that he was looking forward to finally vacating the space at 171 Main St. in Amagansett. "I'm happy to be out of there," he said last week. The family that owns the building did not renew the lease, which ran out at the end of April. Adelman collected over 400 signatures on a petition to keep the store in its location through the summer. During an eviction process, the two sides reached an agreement, in which the rent was paid upfront through the end of February so that Outdoors could remain there. There is still pending legal action, according to Adelman.

The new location, most recently occupied by The Retreat Boutique Too, will afford Outdoors a better opportunity, Adelman said. "I think there will be a lot more people there, more people shopping," he said, adding that because he thinks there will be more shoppers after 6 p.m. in East Hampton, he expects to do 25 percent more business there.

Mary Croghan, an owner of East Hampton Business Service, located at 20 Park Place, said it's always good when a new store enters the mix so that shoppers stay local, particularly for children's clothes. "I think it's a popular store, a lot of local people go there. It's certainly more convenient to have it in East Hampton. Good luck to them," she said.

Khanh Ngo felt differently. He's the owner of Khanh Sports and EH Eyewear, a sunglass, surf, skate, and sports shop located at 60 Park Place. "Why do we need the same things?" he said. His store offers more surf-inspired items, while also selling big ticket items, like the ElliptiGo bike. He's confident that his store will continue to stand out. "We need stores that sells different items, it makes the town more unique."

The Retreat's thrift store opened a second location there in May, and closed on New Year's Eve. "The landlord for that space was extremely generous with us and we are very grateful for all of his support," said Jeffrey Friedman, the executive director of The Retreat. Proceeds help victims of domestic violence. "We are very sad to be leaving, as the community has been very supportive. We are actively look for space for a future store."

Adelman said that in his new lease, he has an option for 10 years, and that his rent is "very similar" to what he was paying in Amagansett — $10,000 per month.

The amount of total retail space is about the same in the new location — however there is less storage space, he said. He said he doesn't have to do much construction, except for building a checkout counter. He plans to replace the front windows, which are a bit small for a retail shop, he said.

His current staff is making the move with him, he said, and he hopes his customers do as well. "We have a lot of nice customer who have homes in Amagansett. Now they are either going to go to East Hampton or not," he said.

Adelman said customers can expect a moving sale in February.

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