Who is River & Trail?

Posted by Kirsten on 2022 Oct 14th

Who is River & Trail?

We are a small, family business that thrives because of our local outdoor community.

River & Trail Outdoor Company was started in 2012 in Rothesay, New Brunswick by Sean and Sarah Creary. Over the years, many workshops and outdoor events have been held in our store or sponsored by River & Trail. At the company’s core is the staff - also known as Adventure Advisors. It’s always been a small but mighty (goofy and creative) team. Each person has a passion for living life outside and everything that goes along with that lifestyle. From hiking to paddling to climbing to skiing, anyone working at River & Trail are true outdoor enthusiasts!

Sean and Sarah are the backbone to River & Trail, the staff are the core and our customers are the heart.

River & Trail Outdoor Co. is located at 133 Hampton Rd in Rothesay, NB.

2020 was a milestone year

In 2020 (yes - that 2020!), we expanded and built a new store just down the road from our original location. We are still located in Rothesay; a small town in the Greater Saint John area of New Brunswick. This is the place to be if you like all that “outdoorsy stuff”. Being part of the Maritimes, we get all four seasons and all extremes of the East Coast. The summer is hot and humid - with plenty of waterways to compliment it, and the winter can be downright frigid - which makes for an incredible winter playground. In any season, there are endless opportunities to live each day outside. Our objective is to help everyone do exactly that.

Pictured are a couple of events held at our original location.

What We Do

To keep it simple, what we do at River & Trail is sell outdoor gear. We carry a variety of reputable brands that we believe in, including Patagonia, Salomon, Thule and many more. So yes, we sell outdoor gear. We are a business with a family and staff to support. It’s how we are able to support our local outdoor communities and organizations. In the same breath, we don’t “just sell outdoor gear”. Above all else, we want everyone to go outside with the knowledge and confidence of how they can enjoy it safely - as well as being respectful of nature.

We are continually working to build our website into the outdoor resource we dream it to be. We have our blog (River & Trail Talk) that is chalk full of advice on how to choose the right gear and maintain it. We also have brand features where we explain why we choose to carry the brands we do. As an aside, we recommend you give this blog: “Let’s Talk about Black Friday”, a read too.

We carry a variety of brands including Patagonia, Ten Tree, Prana, Grey Owl Paddles, Kuhl, Dagger, Old Town Canoes and many more.

We want everyone to be able to live life outside - if they choose to. 

We understand that outdoor gear is an investment. It is rarely something that you can purchase all at once. Beyond the financial commitment, it is extremely subjective and unique to each individual. We want everyone to have as much information as possible to get started, excluding the pressure to buy gear without 100% confidence. Whether you are an experienced adventurer that is looking to upgrade your gear, or you are dipping your toes in outdoor adventures, we are here to help. 

Some of the River & Trail staff living life outside!

10 YEARS

September of 2022 marked our 10 year anniversary. Over the past decade, River & Trail has evolved into a community hub for all things outdoors. We are so proud and grateful for the memories shared with all of our customers - both in the old location, our new store and outside.

More importantly, we are in awe of our customers who inspire us daily to keep moving and keep adventuring. The past ten years has been an incredible adventure and we are excited for the next chapter!

This milestone also brought about a brand refresh. Designer and Illustrator, Lise Hansen revamped our logo to help reflect the company as it is today.

Our old logo, and new logo revamped and designed by Lise Hansen in 2022.

Chat with us!

For anyone local, stop in and chat with any one of our staff. We are here to educate and share stories to empower you to get outside. If you decide you are ready to invest in some high quality gear, we can point you in the right direction. If you aren’t local to Saint John, browse through our blog, send us a message or give us a call! We’d love to answer your questions and get you set up on your journey to making the outdoors your home.