Subscribe Feed (RSS)If you’re a sports fan who has been in Oregon for a while, you’ll recognize the impact that Joe’s — or G.I. Joe’s as it was known for most of its life — had around here on the business of sports.
Whether it was the Portland Beavers, the Winter Hawks, PSU, Oregon, Oregon State, the Trail Blazers — G.I. Joe’s, and its leader Norm Daniels, supported them all with advertising dollars and promotions on television, radio, in their stores, whatever. I believe the outdoor store and sporting goods chain may have spent as much money advertising on sports events as anyone in the area, other than perhaps Pacific Office Automation.
Good luck to all those people who work there — and on behalf of all those teams and schools you helped for so many years, thanks for all the support.
Tags: Dwight Jaynes, G.I. Joe's, Joe's
The service and selection at Joes has always blown chunks. Aside from the August clearance sales, I won’t miss them.
Good bye and good riddance.
GI Joe’s was my first “real job” and even in my experience there they were consistently understaffed and understocked. Yet somehow by the time I left they were already in enough financial trouble to be undergoing management restructuring. And this was during the times when the economy was roarin’.
I always felt GI Joe’s tried to much to be like the “Fred Meyer for men.” The problem is, men don’t shop enough to support a chain like that.
And don’t even get me started on the dropping the “GI” from their name. If they’re that ashamed of their company’s history and its entanglements with our military…
I liked GI Joe’s. Name one store in the metro area that carries the same array of merchandise. I can’t. I’ve purchased a few things thre that I wouldn’t even know where to look anymore if I need to buy them again.
Their departure will be leaving a void, in terms of citizenship and retail offerings.
“Joes” has no one to blame but themselves…. Overpriced merchandise, no selection for sporting goods or automotive, and imbeciles for staff…
Too bad Larry’s SportCenter is no longer around either…..
Bring on Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shop’s !!
I grew up in N. Portland and I can remember when GI Joe’s sold war surplus stuff. It hasn’t been the same since then.
I think Wells Fargo would give Joe’s a run for their money in terms of advertising with the Blazers.
Joe’s was already suffering but really went downhill when they were purchased in 2007. They lost all their local flavor.
I quit shopping there a couple years ago so I won’t miss the stores. But I do feel for those that will be getting pink slips.
I can’t believe people would take this opportunity to dump on a business going under. Where’s the f-in’ class?
“Joe’s has no one to blame but themselves”? I’m not a big economics guy either, but couldn’t the worst downturn in global history have had something to do with it?
Then you say the people who just lost their jobs are “imbeciles”?
I’m going to give you that one. That one sounded like an expert opinion.
This hits about as close to home as it can. My dad worked at the distribution center for 20 years and is finding himself unemployed at the age of 58 with a broken down body and the only people to blame is the management. I worked there when I was in college and again when I was hard up for a job two years ago. Joes more or less put me through college and I’m forever indebted to it and my father. I’m a little sickened by the people saying ‘good riddance.’ Okay, the place was poorly staffed and the mix of merchandise changed from the practical to the opulent, but to be so cold hearted as to say something like that is just plain rude. It was a local institution and supported not only the local sports team but also the local schools and a lot of other worthy causes. Compare Joes to the economic sinkhole that is a Walmart and try and tell me we are now better off with this company liquidating its stock and closing down its stores. Joes isn’t even seeing fit to pay out the vacation and holiday time that their employees have accrued. Blame management for steering the ship poorly, but have some class and realize Joes was good for the region.
I never did figure why they dropped the GI, dumb move. I could never call it Joes. Guess now I don’t have to think about that.
I felt GIs prices were better than REI, though REI has more consistant good help. However I could usually find someone who knew something when I looked. Easier than at Home Depot.
And I too remember when they sold surplus stuff. we lived in N Portland in their early years.
Of the several big stores who have closed recently i will miss them most. Though will have to say amount i spent there woud hardly help them survive.
I really feel sorry about all the small time businesses who have closed
For me it was close to home. TicketMaster was in there as well..Where am I going to get my fishing/hunting license/tags now? It’s a pretty sad ending for a Chain that supported A LOT of events in the Portland Area over the years. RIP GI Joes.
Speaking of hunting and fishing, that was where I could usually find good help. They seemed to know whole store pretty well.
Do not know where I will get good outdoor maps now. They had a good collection.
And they had best assortment of car attachments like bike racks, hitches, roof racks, etc.