“Yar, I know there ain’t no apostrophe. But town can sure grab a hold of ya quite possessively if ya think on it. It’s a good name, besides, if nothing else; it is your name.”
Ol’Man Willy, on discussing the name of this here company.
While I still have all my natural hair, not only am I the founder, I’m also a customer. I started making my own gear (link) for myself. Eventually enough things fell into place that I’d like to start making gear for you too. My goal is simple; make gear I would use and sell it at a price that makes sense for both of us. Now it’s true I aim to make a living doing this as I have a lovely family who puts up with me in exchange for a roof over their heads and three meals a day. It’s only fair that I make a few bucks I suppose. I like my family and I’d hate to see them leave.
But I’m not looking to get rich. I’ve owned a business or two, and done some business. I’m a bit sick of business as usual. I’d like to turn a dime without having to beat nine cents of it outta my vendors and employees. Or charge my customer a dime for five cents worth of goods. Life’s a tough fight sometimes, but no reason for it to be crappy now is it? So my plan is to fight to do what I love doing for a living.
So I put my name on the door so to speak, so I can take some responsibility for what I do for a living. To treat my vendors fair and my customers as friends. On the trail we all get along, why shouldn’t that be the way it goes on the way to the trailhead. Why can’t I do business with the outdoors community and be a part of it at the same time?
So this company is for both of us. You want to get outside and I want you to go. Pretty badly truth be told. I told you I like to get folks out for purely selfish reasons and I mean it. I love the woods, I hope you will too. Not because I care that much about you personally truth be told, you’re just one person and so am I. It ain’t any one tree that makes up a forest, but all of them put together. And it isn’t one person who saves the forest, but all of us put together. But not much reason for you to fight for something if you don’t love it now is there?
It’s my wish that if you get out, you’ll at least take a passing fancy to the Earth, maybe even fall in love.
So I wanted to take a moment of your time to tell you the real plan, seeing as I want your hard earned money it seems only fair. My true goal is to sell out, as fast as possible. That’s why people start companies these days right? But I have a different investor in mind than others might. I mean to build up this business and sell it off to the Earth. After all, it turns out that those cute kiddos that live under my roof are sitting on the board of directors.
The quarterly reports are looking pretty grim, and long term projections are in the toilet, but still, it seems like a solid investment to me. Not much good putting a roof over their head when there’s no foundation to put it on. So as soon as humanly possible, I mean to sell out any and all future profits to shore up that foundation before the roof falls down on my children’s heads. Only one tree for certain, but that’s all we can be.
Maybe that’s a bit much and you just stopped by for a quilt or a big ass hammock. No biggie. I just want you to get outta town for a spell. So if you’re looking to set up a first date or you’re all-ready head over heels in love then this gear is meant for you. And even if this gear isn’t for you; I hope to see you out there, I hope you fall in love.
After all, we all live under the same roof.
Long nights and pleasant days to you-
Bill Townsend
Founder, Town’s End