Columbia Sportswear Company Celebrates Grand Opening of New Branded Retail Store in Tokyo’s Famous Harajuku District

Published on Monday, 12 March 2012 15:52 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

PORTLAND, Ore.-( Business Wire )-

Columbia Sportswear Company (Nasdaq: COLM), a global leader in the active outdoor apparel and footwear industries, is celebrating the March 3^rd opening of its newest branded retail store, located on Cat Street in the heart of Tokyo’s famous Harajuku district.

“In addition to being located within Harajuku, one of the world’s renowned fashion capitals, Cat Street has become the hub of Tokyo’s outdoor industry,” said Massimo Lazzari, general manager Japan, Columbia Sportswear Company. “To take advantage of this prime location, we created a store with high-visibility architectural features to showcase Columbia’s innovative products to the millions of shoppers from around the world who visit Harajuku each year. We are confident that this store will quickly become one of our best performers.”

The new store, comprising 225 square meters (approximately 2,400 square feet) on three floors, features Columbia brand outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear. Columbia operates 24 branded retail stores and 12 outlet stores in Japan, which, when combined with sales to wholesale customers throughout the country, have established Japan as one of the company’s largest markets outside the United States.

“Our new Harajuku store is a great representation of the strength of the Columbia brand in Japan,” noted Bill Tung, vice president of the company’s Latin America/Asia Pacific (LAAP) region. “Columbia is well-positioned to capitalize on the increasing popularity of outdoor lifestyles and activities throughout Japan.”

About Columbia Sportswear Company

Columbia Sportswear Company is a leading innovator in the global outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment markets. Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia products are sold in more than 100 countries and have earned an international reputation for innovation, quality and performance. Columbia products feature innovative technologies and designs that protect outdoor enthusiasts from the elements, increase comfort, and make outdoor activities more enjoyable. In addition to the Columbia® brand, Columbia Sportswear Company also owns outdoor brands Mountain Hardwear®, Sorel®, and Montrail®. To learn more, please visit the company's websites at www.columbia.com, www.mountainhardwear.com, www.sorel.com, and www.montrail.com.

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Columbia Sportswear Investor Relations and Corporate CommunicationsInvestors:Ron Parham, 503-985-4584rparham@columbia.comorColumbia Sportswear Public RelationsU.S. Media:Scott Trepanier, 503-985-4183strepanier@columbia.comorColumbia Sportswear Japan Public RelationsJapan Media:Katsuhiko Makino, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.