Specialties
Wild Rock is Central Ontario's best source for outdoor clothing and gear for the camper, hiker or cottager. We carry an extensive selection of backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards (SUP). Our full service bike shop carries the best from Specialized and Trek. We carry a full line of Salomon nordic skis and clothing. Our clothing and footwear departments are absolutely stunning with their selection of Patagonia, Canada Goose, The North Face, Fjall Raven, Woolrich, Merrel, Keen, FIG, Royal Robbins items.
History
Established in 1992.
They started out small, by leasing a 900-square-foot location at the corner of Brock and George Street (at the YMCA). Within a few years, they outgrew the space and, in 1997, purchased an old bingo hall (previously an A&P grocery store originally built in 1929), gutted it, and renovated it. In the spring of 1998, they moved into their current 8000-square-foot location.
In the spring of 1999, Murison and Andrews expanded the business with an innovative concept for a world-class whitewater retail operation called Boat Werks. The new operation included a traditional store at the Wild Rock Outfitters location, an e-commerce website, and mobile seasonal stores located on the shores of the Ottawa River, Gull River, and Madawaska River.
In the fall of 2002, Kieran and Scott sold the Boat Werks portion of the business to long-time employee Jeff Strano. It continues to thrive today.
Meet the Business Owner: Scott Murison and Kieran Andrews M.
n 1992, Scott and Kieren were 24-year-olds living in Ottawa, where Scott was pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree and Kieran was a self-described "professional ski and climbing bum". Both were working at Blacks, a camping store based in Ottawa, when they decided to create their own business to help people enjoy the outdoors.
Leveraging Scott's business acumen, they completed market research and decided that Peterborough would be the ideal location for their new business. Not only did the area lack a retail store serving the outdoors community, but it had the right demographics and was surrounded by a natural playground of lakes, rivers and granite.