Whitehorse Gear closing down

Whitehorse Gear is closing down its storefront and its online retail business this spring, and the Whitehorse Press publishing list has been sold.

For years, Whitehorse Gear’s retail location in North Conway, New Hampshire, was a must-stop for Canadian motorcyclists in the area, not just because of its proximity to the border, but also because of reasonable pricing and helpful, friendly staff. Whitehorse also ran a mail-order business, with catalogues mailed to Canadian customers, and ran a well-known web store.

Whitehorse tended to stock products aimed at serious riders, with touring-friendly helmets and jackets, heated accessories, and the like.

But before the boom in web-based commerce, Whitehorse actually had its genesis in 1989, when founders Judy and Dan Kennedy started Whitehorse Press. It published many helpful books on motorcycling over the years, ranging from DIY manuals to touring guides, some of which we’ve reviewed at CMG.

Yesterday, Whitehorse sent out an email (find it below) saying the company would close down its Conway store later this spring, with sales clearing out existing stock in the weeks ahead.

We reached out, and Judy emailed us back saying she expects Whitehorse to finally close its doors around Laconia Bike Week (or earlier, depending on inventory); the web store will close this spring as well. She and Dan are retiring, and have already sold the Whitehorse Press publishing list to  Quarto US, which also owns Motorbooks. If there’s an obscure Whitehorse title you really want, we’d guess you might be well-advised to call the retail store now, but it seems at least some of the titles will live on under the new publisher.

You can read Whitehorse’s email notifying of their closure below:

It’s Been a Great Ride!

Since Judy and I founded Whitehorse in 1989, we have had the privilege of serving hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists, helping them find the best information and equipment to make their riding more comfortable and fun. We’ve had a wonderful experience, filled with friendship and adventure stretching from those early days before cell phones and the Internet. And while the essentials of two-wheeled travel have really changed very little over the years, enthusiasm for things like dual-sport riding, metric cruisers, and even heated gear has woven its way into the motorcycling mainstream — and we’ve greatly enjoyed being a part of it all.

It is with mixed feelings then that we have reached a decision to close our Warehouse Store in Conway later this spring and retire from day-to-day business to spend more time enjoying the sort of life that drew us all together in the first place.

So what does this mean for you? For the next couple of months we’ll be offering some outstanding values on our remaining inventory, just in time for you to get well geared up for the riding season ahead. As always, we intend to give you the same great customer service of which we have long been proud. And while the best deals will be found early among our discontinued merchandise, we are willing to special order any items we can for you. Unredeemed gift certificates will, of course, be honored in whatever manner best suits your needs. Give us a call.

Keep an eye out for upcoming marketing emails giving you first crack at the savings. If you happen to be in the area, stop by and give us a chance to help you find what you’re looking for, and let us thank you personally for the many years we’ve shared the road.

Dan and Judy Kennedy, Owners