MOUNT VERNON — You can buy camping gear anywhere, said Kirstin Dowley, but she thought her dollar mattered most when she shopped at a locally owned business.
For more than 10 years, Dowley shopped at Northern Sales on East College Way for most of her outdoors needs. But when she heard earlier this week that the store was closing, Dowley decided to see for herself.
“Most of the people who work here are women, and I’m amazed how much they know about the products,” Dowley said.
Competition is not driving the store out, said owner Diane Sigel, who bought the store 14 years ago. Instead of running three small stores in Mount Vernon, Everett and Tacoma, Sigel said she wanted to spend more time working with the nonprofit Hadassah, a volunteer women’s organization promoting Zionism.
She made the decision three or four years ago to remove the stores from her life, she said. Sigel even tried to sell them, but had no luck.
“We’re too big to be small and too small to be big,” she explained for the lack of interest in outside buyers. “It wasn’t viable.”
Shoppers Tuesday disagreed.
Among the dozens who entered the doors, several said Northern Sales was a shopping stop even for Christmas and birthdays.
Ramona Oseguera, 24, said she’ll miss working the register and doling out advice. Even though she’s never been hunting, fishing or camping, she said she enjoyed hearing of other people’s adventures.
She said the store would bring in kitschy gifts for holidays, like talking rubber bass, turd-shaped fishing lures or electric fly swatters. Year-round the store sold shirts making fun of rednecks.
“It’s going to be hard when I leave,” she said. “I won’t get to see the customers I’ve gotten along with.”
Piles of clothes hangers grew as people bought flannel shirts, Carhartts and rain gear. Boxes of ammunition, 10 percent off, quickly disappeared.
But for Josh Zylstra of Mount Vernon, it’s all about the lures. He waited Tuesday to hear when the store would lower its prices more. Some lures, he said, cost around $8 to $12. He said he’s hoping to get them for around a buck a piece.
Zylstra, 27, said the first thing he bought at Northern Sales more than 10 years ago was an Ugly Stick, a brand of fishing pole.
“I’m sorry to see the store go. I have a friend that works here too,” he said. “Hopefully he’s looking for another job right now instead of out fishing.”
• Kate Martin can be reached at 360-416-2145 or at .
