Orvis is an American, family-owned retail and mail-order business, founded in 1856 in Manchester, Vermont, by Charles F. Orvis. It is the oldest mail-order retailer in the United States and a leader in fly fishing, hunting, and sporting goods. In the beginning Charles Orvis opened his shop to cater to wealthy tourists, quickly establishing a reputation for quality fly-fishing tackle, pioneering mail-order catalog sales. The company struggled and financially collapsed during the Great Depression. In 1939 businessman Dudley "Duckie" Corkran purchased the failing company for $4,500 and revitalized it. Under Corkran, Orvis expanded its product line to include clothing and opened its first retail store in 1941. In 1965, Leigh Perkins purchased Orvis and transformed it into a lifestyle brand. He diversified the product range to include hunting gear, apparel, and dog accessories, and pioneered customer acquisition techniques by exchanging mailing lists with other retailers. He also established the first U.S. fly-fishing school in 1966 and introduced sporting clays to America. Leigh Perkins passed leadership to his sons, Perk and Dave Perkins, and later to his grandson, Simon Perkins, in 2020, ensuring the company remained family-owned. The company has expanded into e-commerce and has launched innovative Rodeo technologies like the Helios, and continues its commitment to environmental stewardship through the Orvis-Endorsed programs and conservation initiatives. Today, Orvis is an international, multi-channel retailer with its corporate headquarters in Manchester, Vermont, and major operations in Roanoke, Virginia, and the United Kingdom. When I moved to Roanoke, the first gift that I received from a friend was an Orvis Weather Breaker Jacket. And though I still have it today, it is worn down and I thought it was about time I got a new one, because its one of my favorites and practical things to wear. So I headed to the Orvis store located in the heart of Downtown Roanoke, on Campbell Ave. Once there, a young gentleman greeted me and listened to what I was looking for. Then he showed me around and pointed out the jacket I was looking for, as well as several new items that would serve my need as well. He did a great job in following one of the company's core values that states: "Surprise & Delight Your Customer." He listened and built a relationship by being curious, personal, friendly & fun. He also earned credibility and trust by being open, honest & down to earth. And you could tell, he took pride in their products. When I asked him if they were having any Black Friday Sales this year, he told me he didn't know yet but that I could find some sales going on now in the company's website. When I asked him about a Bison Wallet they used to have, he showed what they had and was surprised they didn't have it on display but thought it might be coming in shortly and also suggested I look for it on their website. As we walked around the store, I was very impressed by its cleanliness, interior design, product display, and nice lighting treatment. All items were display to show their best. I also enjoyed viewing their fly-fishing equipment. After all, I have enjoyed fishing all my life and Saltwater Sport Fishing was my one of my favorite hobbies as I was growing up and being the youngest person to win the prestigious Yearly Cangrejos Yacht Club Fishing Tournament in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico by catching and landing a 403 lb Blue Martin after three and a half hours of struggling with him. In another occasion I also caught a 97 lb Bull Dolphin or Mahi-Mahi, also called Dorado, when I was even younger. I thanked the Orvis associate for his assistance and help, and promised to return on Black Friday to see what's going on there. I remember one year they had a roulette or something similar that gave you a discount of different amounts, depending what you picked. One at home I went to their website, found the sale the sales-associate was referring to and purchased the jacket I wanted to replace my worn down one. I highly recommend you visit this store if you're a local or a tourist. In it you will find nice, quality merchandise, and exceptional customer service, creating moments that exceed our expectations. read more

See all

I was walking around downtown with my wife, dad, and son while we waited for it to be time to head out to the airport. Since it was Memorial Day most stores were closed. Not Orvis. My dad went in to look at some shirts. I had no intention of flouting anything but when I saw the style, which is similar to Colombia and other outdoors brands, I decided to try a few shirts on. I ended up buying two and my dad bought two as well. The employees at the store were very friendly and eager to help. As we left I noticed a sign outside where they offer free fly fishing 101 classes. read more

See all

I've been here several times over the years and it's always well-stocked and clean with helpful staff. On this recent trip, we needed some hats a d they offered an excellent selection to choose from! I found a belt I really loved and wanted to buy, but it wasn't in stock in my size, so Sara offered to have it shipped from their warehouse to my home for free! She was very outgoing, friendly and helpful. Definitely will continue to stop in this location when in the area! read more

Being new to fly fishing I wanted some great assistance so I went into the store in Roanoke and was assisted by Ryan Baxter, man o man he was the "cats meow" was very competent and worked me through the whole process from "head to toe". His assistance was very professional and with extreme guidance to rig me up with a rod set, waders and boots. Being that I live in West Texas, he has set forth a contact for me in the Fort Worth store. What an incredible experience, y'all have earned my business. Don't lose him, he's a keeper, if we could find an employee with his style and expertise I would hire him "anyway day of the week and twice on Sunday!" read more

I was extremely disappointed in the Orvis store in downtown Roanoke VA today. I first discovered Orvis as an employee. After working as a customer representative there, I was turned on to their high quality products and commitment to customer satisfaction. In fact I was so impressed by this company, that I have referred several friends and family members onto their products. I am no longer an employee but have remained a loyal customer and advocate for their brand. After my experience today, that will no longer be the case. I purchased a sweater a couple of years ago for my husband. He loved the sweater and has always been careful to follow the manufacturer's instructions for care, however, the sweater began to come apart and there were a few areas that were torn. I took it to the store today to see if there was anything they could do to help me. I was very professional and started the conversation by saying, "I'm not sure if you can help me or not, but ..." The response I got from the salesperson (Barbara or Brenda, no sure about the name) was a lot of eye rolling. I continued telling her that I had purchased the sweater about two years ago, unsure if it was purchased in the store or online. She looked at the sweater and told me that the warranty only covers manufacturer errors. She then asked if I had a receipt (which I do not after two years). I asked if she could please look up the sale (as a former employee knowing that she can) to which she hesitantly went to the computer and did so. Once she found the record of the sale, she again condescendingly stated that I had purchased the sweater at a sales price. Nothing else, she never asked if I would be willing to purchase a new one at a discounted price, or if I would be willing to pay the difference of the sales price I had paid and the full price; which I would have found both offers fair. Because she made no recommendations on how to settle the problem, I stated that I would really like to exchange the sweater, not have a refund, as my husband likes the sweater. Her response was that the color is no longer available. I asked what colors were available and she hesitantly showed me the available colors. I found a color very close to the original one and chose that one. As she was processing the exchange, she did not attempt to have any conversation with me. This would have been a great opportunity for her to make a sale. I would have loved to see if there was something new on the sales floor to purchase today, so I started to look around on my own. There was another sales person there that began to help me. He was very pleasant and more of what you expect from an Orvis employee. When the item I wanted was not in stock, he offered to order it online for me. The original sales person then stated that the color I wanted didn't exist (I knew that it did because my sister had purchased one in a store in a different town). At this point, I was over this rude sales person and just wanted out of the store. I told them that I might order it online if I was still interested. The rude salesperson finished the transaction by telling me that at the beginning of the year the return policy was going to be drastically changed and this would not be allowed in the future. Again, not making the experience pleasant AT ALL. So thank you Brenda/Barbara for in just a matter of minutes, ruining a my customer loyalty and every good experience that I and my family and friends have ever had with the Orvis company. I guess I'll start shopping with LL Bean more now. read more

Stopped in on my way back to MN. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Took the time to set me up with the right flies and share info on the local rivers. Helped me with directions when we took a wrong turn on the way, and we even ended up catching fish in the end. Thanks read more

Over priced and returning an item I was charged not the stated shipping fee of $6.95 but 5 dollars more ! Also when I ordered another item I should have been given free shipping as they advertised on the web. Had to call to get a refund on the shipping ! Will not be buying items there again . Don't like being taken advantage of ! read more

Orvis does not refund shipping charges for returned items and also charges a fee to return. If you dont like an item you still have to pay. Avoid Orvis and go to Amazon which is risk free. Also they offered a discount to order a second item and then reneged on the deal. read more