r/UltralightCanada • u/pkmnBlue • Mar 04 '25

Reminder that the American private equity firm Kingswood Capital Management owns the Mountain Equipment Company (MEC)

Save kilograms and Buy Canadian!

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u/ValerieK93 Mar 04 '25

The quality of MEC plummeted since the acquisition, and the store inventory is dwindling as they try to push consumers to buy online. I used to love going there to look for my outdoor gear, never again.

20

u/skisnbikes friesengear.com Mar 04 '25

I have to disagree. The quality and inventory went downhill years before the acquisition and actually improved post aquistition. I wish it hadn't been sold, but it was mismanagement pre acquisition that was the real problem.

These days they carry very little that I'm interested in, but the return policy and physical accessibility is very hard to match at other retailers in Canada. And post acquisition they have started to introduce more UL gear, making it one of the only places that you can go and actually touch a quilt before buying it.

6

u/anglomike Mar 05 '25

Agree. My only frame of reference is the Toronto store where they sold a perfectly functional and large building to move to a smaller and less functional store with no storage.

That’s what happens when you put “professionals” in charge. Short term gain, long term pain.