Patagonia in Deep Ellum is closing its doors amid concerns about retail’s place in the evolving neighborhood.
The shuttering is set for later this month, said spokesman J.J. Huggins, after opening roughly a half-decade ago at the site. Patagonia lists one other store in Texas with an Austin locale.
“Changes in the surrounding neighborhood have made it difficult to maintain a long‑term, sustainable future for the location as the area has trended more toward restaurants and nightlife than retail foot traffic,” Huggins said. “This move comes after careful deliberation and consideration for our team.”
The company remains committed to serving dozens of wholesale partners the Dallas area along with outdoor sports community and local environmental activists, Huggins said.
The vibrant area of the city, near the downtown core, has seen more attention and questions about its nightlife scene of late. Violent crime rose in Deep Ellum last summer, and the entertainment district’s managing nonprofit recently said it wants more city oversight of late-night venues,.
The Patagonia store is on Main Street, near the western side of the neighborhood. On Patagonia’s door Tuesday morning, a sign read, “Thank you so much for all the fun and memories here in Deep Ellum.”
While Patagonia store is located away from some nearby construction activity, it’s still in the Deep Ellum area where roadwork has been a challenge for some businesses. Retailer Nylo Wool shut down last year and moved to another city, with the construction getting some of the blame.
Patagonia, which supports activism for different causes, is one of the more recognized names in outdoor gear, offering items such as puff jackets and backpacks along with wetsuits and wading boots.
The Dallas closure will affect a little more than a dozen employees, Huggins said. About half of them are retail employees who can apply for other roles within the company or take a severance package. The others are remote customer experience employees who are tied to the Dallas market, a regional hub. Those employees can choose to transfer to another hub or take a severance package.