![]() Keith Richardson stated that the financial community in Cheyenne was more responsive and supportive than any other Sierra had found throughout the Western states. Together with community organizations and local government, LEADS endeavors to create area jobs and economic expansion in the area. When potential expansion or relocation prospects consider the area, the corporation promotes it and works to facilitate relocation into the area. Its funding comes primarily from members who pay dues. ![]() The corporation is private and non-for-profit. ![]() Sierra’s entry into Cheyenne was supported by Cheyenne LEADS.Ĭheyenne LEADS function is to serve Cheyenne and Laramie County as an economic development entity. By 2009, the number of employees at the Cheyenne headquarters had reached about 650 tech-savvy employees, with Internet sales of about $200 million per year. Sierra Trading Post ultimately started up in Cheyenne in 1992, with approximately 40 employees. It was a positive experience compared to Keith’s disappointment in Nevada. Jack Crews, President of LEADS facilitated the discussion by taking Keith to the Capitol to meet Sullivan. Cheyenne became the favored location after Keith was welcomed to the Capitol to meet with former Governor Mike Sullivan. Their two top choices were narrowed down to either Cheyenne or Laramie. They toured in a motor home searching for a new site in the West. He and Bobbi decided to move the business. When the state of Nevada passed a tax which troubled Keith, he wrote to the Governor of Nevada, but received no reply. Keith and Bobbi originally created Sierra Trading Post to be a Nevada catalog company. The company’s circulation had reached more than 60 million catalogs as well. These ranged in size from 35 to 72 pages each. By 2003, the company had sixty-two catalogs available. Another visual innovation to the catalogs that year was including product photographs mixed in with the incredibly detailed hand drawings. By 1999, Sierra introduced splashes of color to their catalogs and customers loved it. Ron continued to illustrate items for sale in the catalog and a family friend, Woo Cude, joined Keith’s other son, Mark, to ship the catalogs by hand. The illustrations were beautiful drawings of outdoor life with the look and appeal of catalogs from the 1800s. It only had sixteen pages, but it was a huge hit. The catalog was created using just two colors. Sierra Trading Post took its leap and mailed the catalog out to 100,000 customers. Keith’s eldest son, Ron, drew the 44 illustrations in Sierra’s first catalog. Keith and Quinn began a longstanding friendship and Quinn always approached Keith first with his closeout list. He bought them from Acorn founder, David Quinn, for $10,000 and discovered that he couldn’t sleep the night he made the huge purchase. To get started, he bought all the seconds and closeouts Acorn had. It took Keith about a month or so to create a new business. But just two days after the awful unexpected happened, Keith came up with the concept for Sierra Trading Post. Keith quit Sportif USA and had no other job lined up to move into. But, the company owner replaced Keith unexpectedly, taking the position as Owner/President. Keith had been promoted to President of Sportif USA in 1980, after getting a raise in pay and a bonus. Keith graduated from San Jose State University in 1974 and was the Controller for Hexel Sports from 1974 until 1990. Keith Richardson founded Sierra Trading Post with his wife, Bobbi, in 1986. There’s always something new arriving every week and this is part of the magic treasure hunting that Sierra’s customers really like. Sierra accomplishes this with its team of entrepreneurial, opportunistic buyers who negotiate the best prices and the widest selection of colors, fabrics, materials, and styles so that customers enjoy great savings. The company buys from vendors of specialty labels, top brands, and gems from all over the world. Sierra sells thousands of items from brands around the globe. Sierra is not a single manufacturer outlet store. Sierra Trading Post specializes in selling high-quality products which people need when they are exploring the great outdoors.
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