Campers Village has a long history in Alberta. Al Bryant created the outdoor-goods store in 1963 as an offshoot of Northwest Tent and Awning, an Edmonton manufacturer of tents, sleeping bags and canvas goods. “People were coming to the factory to purchase these things, and it became apparent that a retail store would be viable,” explains Campers Village general manager Doug Dea, who has been with the company since 1992.
Doug explains that over the years, Campers Village evolved beyond a factory outlet for tents and sleeping bags into a large, outdoor-gear store that sells not just the supplies one needs for camping, but also, for outdoor activities like snowshoeing, hiking and canoeing. Campers Village offers all the major outerwear, footwear and activewear brands for outdoor adventurers including The North Face, Columbia, Icebreaker, Eagle Creek, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear and Sorel. And the store has expanded beyond its Edmonton home base, operating one location in Calgary.