Just two hours West of Dallas/Fort Worth is where you will find America’s first Black-owned outdoor gear shop.
Located in Stephenville, SlimPickins Outfitters is a community and collegiate outfitters shop specializing in equipping people to “Adventure Out.”
Jahmicah Dawes is the founder of SlimPickins Outfitters and says his passion for outdoor adventures was inspired by the people who looked out for him in college at Tarleton State University. He would often get invited to explore the outdoors but didn’t have the necessary equipment.
“They created opportunity and removed the excuses and hurdles for me to access the same outdoors they were experiencing,” Dawes told Men’s Journal in an interview.
At the core of Dawes’ shop is his passion for helping people in the same way others helped him. Ministry is a way of life, and Dawes spends his time at the shop serving others with the hope that when people leave, they have a vision of “who they are, who they serve, and where they are going.”
One of his pillars of style is “form follows function,” which means that the items he carries in the ship are the best of the best with functionality being the main focus.
Inside his store, you will find brands as Columbia, Chaco, Howler Bros., Kammok Hammocks, Fayettechill, Mountain Hardwear, prAna, and more.
“We always wanted to be a relevant spot for our community, to reflect the local culture, and equip and inspire the creative outdoor enthusiast,” said Dawes. “We felt that people needed a place they could gather together or gear up to #AdventureOut. There wasn’t a place like that here, so we created one.”
The store is suitable for both men and women. You can find more information about store hours here or shop online here.