A new gift shop has debuted at Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park this spring — Ten Falls Supply Co. opened in late May as a park shop featuring a mix of hiking gear, souvenirs and gifts.
The shop, which is owned by Guest Services Inc., is a brand-new concept located in a historic 450-square-foot stone building adjacent to the park’s South Falls Lodge and Café. Guest Services Inc., a Virginia-based hospitality company, won the state park’s contract to manage much of the retail, food and lodging in the state park’s Smith Creek Village as of June.
Guest Services Director of Retail Mark Johnson explains that the new gift shop complements one other nonprofit shop in the state park and offers additional merchandise for visitors.
“There is another gift shop, The South Falls Nature Store, located near Ten Falls Supply Col, that is run by The Friends of Silver Falls State Park,” says Johnson. “They have a strict mission to further educational opportunities in the park, so their store is focused on books and nature-oriented gifts. Wanting to complement their business rather than compete with it, we sought to address in-demand product categories that they do not carry, the main one being hiking supplies.”
He adds, “Ten Falls Supply Co. conveys a vintage, independent hiking store vibe. Some have called us a ‘mini REI,’ which isn’t too far off the mark. We have essentials that will get you through the hike safely, and we have items that will help you celebrate your hike, like T-shirts, hoodies, stickers and hats.”
Ten Falls Supply Co. is packed with a mix of active gear, souvenirs, supplies and more in just 450 square feet. Johnson says roughly 40% of the store’s vendors are made or based in Oregon and 60% of products are made in the USA. Items that are imported are primarily made from recycled materials or give back to the environment through 1% for the planet or similar programs. Some local artists and artisans have also helped to design graphic content for T-shirts, bandanas, hats, stickers and jewelry.
Hiking gear comes with the store name drop and gives back to the environment, too.
“For instance, our backpacks are waterproof for the rainy conditions at Silver Falls and also made from ocean-recovered plastics,” says Johnson. “They are co-branded with the Ten Falls Supply Co. logo and produced by Got Bag, which is a company based in Portland, Oregon. We have given each and every product in the store this kind of thoughtful consideration.”
The store name itself was also intentional — the gift shop is located at the trailhead for the Trail of Ten Falls, which is a designated national recreation trail that is a 7.2-mile loop, passing by 10 waterfalls. Johnson says many visitors come to the park specifically for the challenge of completing this 7.2-mile hike and seeing each of the 10 waterfalls.
“We chose the name Ten Falls Supply Co. because we are the outfitter where hikers get the essentials to complete this challenging loop,” he says. “While hikers are in the store purchasing supplies for their hike, they will notice a collection of items that celebrate the completion of the loop, including T-shirts with a large “7.2” and hats embroidered with “I Hiked the Trail of Ten Falls.” This inspires them to complete the loop so they can return to the store to purchase their trophies!”
With this new store, Guest Services Inc. is expanding its retail footprint in the Pacific Northwest. The hospitality management company currently operates concessions at several parks in Washington and California, including Mount Rainier National Park and the Big Sur Lodge.
“We are excited to have Silver Falls as our first location in Oregon,” says Johnson. “We want our visitors to be inspired to take on the 7.2-mile loop, complete it safely, and then celebrate their accomplishment by taking home some of our unique and thoughtful products. We see the Ten Falls Supply Co. logos becoming iconic in the region.”
