RIP: Barrel Mountaineering

After 17 long years of serving as a gear store, art gallery, and local climbing-beta HQ, Barrel Mountaineering closed its downtown Bozeman doors this summer. Barrel was named after the founder’s father, Barry “Barrel” Bishop, who was on the first American ascent of Mount Everest in 1963.

“Running three stores was just too expensive,” says Mike Garcia, owner of Barrel, Northern Lights, and The Barn, citing the economic downturn and a spike in Internet sales as factors in the closure. “But nobody’s losing their jobs,” he reassured, as all Barrel employees will be transferred to Northern Lights. There’s no word yet on what new store will occupy the old location.