The North Face

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Background

Hap Klopp (Dick Klopp) is perhaps the name most prominently associated with the arising of "The North Face" as the modern giant it has beome today; however, Doug Tomkins was the originator of the North Face name (more below). Hap was a Stanford School of Business graduate circa 1966. His business training there, and past hands-on experience running a family business, were being put to good use in efforts that he and some others were making to buy The Ski Hut in Berkeley from George Rudolf. That did not happen because George Rudolf could not be convinced to sell.

...as time went by, Hap Klopp was still searching for an outdoor business to buy. Soon Hap shifted his focus to a new target. He remembers, "I bought The North Face, which was a retail store run by Doug Tomkins. When Tomkins owned the store, TNF had no product of its own but sold gear that included private labelled products from Sierra Designs. Tomkins had sold TNF to three people. Arne and Glen Hiersoux and Justus Bauschinger." It took many months of negotiations, but in May of 1968 Hap's offer to buy was accepted. Justus stayed on for awhile as Head Designer, but the Hiersouxs left.

from Bruce Johnson's History of Gear

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All Stories

Story Organization
Buckskin to Gore-Tex: The Outdoor Industry in American History Patagonia, The North Face
Nancy Eisen, Susan Smith, Susan Castner - Erickson Outdoors Erickson Outdoors, Moonstone, Mountain Hardwear, The North Face
Nancy Eisen, Susan Smith, Susan Castner - The Crew The North Face
Susan Smith - First Days in the Outdoor Industry Erickson Outdoors, Mountain Hardwear, Sierra Designs, The North Face
Susan Castner - First Days in the Outdoor Industry Granite Stairway Mountaineering, Sierra Designs, Snow Lion, The North Face, The Ski Hut - Berkeley, CA (dba Trailwise, Donner Mountain Corp)
Nancy Eisen - First Days in the Outdoor Industry Royal Robbins, The North Face
Outdoor Company Catalogs - Table of Contents Great Pacific Iron Works, Moss Tent Works, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Sierra Designs, The North Face, The Ski Hut - Berkeley, CA (dba Trailwise, Donner Mountain Corp)
The North Face and R. Buckminster Fuller Special Connection - Part 3 The North Face
Henry Gruchacz - First Days in the Outdoor Industry Alvin Duskin Knits, Bellwether, Chrome Industries, Espirit, Patagonia, Pivetta, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), Sierra Designs, The North Face, The Ski Hut - Berkeley, CA (dba Trailwise, Donner Mountain Corp), Timbuktu Designs , U.S. Army: 10th Mountain Division, Walrus Tents
Conspiracy for Quality - The North Face Pioneers the Testing Lab Frostline, L. L. Bean, Marmot, Patagonia, The North Face
Kevin Smith - First Days in the Outdoor Industry The North Face
Dan Castner - First Days in the Outdoor Industry Class 5, Gerry, Kelty Pack, Sierra Designs, The North Face
A Review of Product Development for Sierra Designs Easton Aluminum, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), Sierra Designs, Snow Lion, The North Face, The Ski Hut - Berkeley, CA (dba Trailwise, Donner Mountain Corp)
The Story of the Sierra Designs 60/40 Mountain Parka Big Agnes, CML, Holubar, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Shelter Systems, Sierra Designs, SNEWS, The Arthur Kahn Company (TAKC), The North Face, Walrus Tents, Woolrich
The North Face and R. Buckminster Fuller Special Connection - Part 2 The North Face
From the Closet of Dr John Bouman: Luggage The North Face
The North Face and R. Buckminster Fuller Special Connection – Part 1 The North Face
From the Closet of Dr John Bouman: Odds and Ends. The North Face
From the Closet of Dr John Bouman: Tents! The North Face
The RBF/TNF Connection 1970 - 1983 The North Face
From the Closet of Dr John Bouman: the Goonies pack The North Face
The Oval Intention Walkthrough - LP Version JanSport, SlingFin, The North Face
Future Q The North Face
Trailblazer: Guntram Jordan Class 5, Detours, Granite Stairway Mountaineering, Northern Lights, Sierra West, Snow Lion, The North Face, The Ski Hut - Berkeley, CA (dba Trailwise, Donner Mountain Corp), Trailwise, Vaude, Wilderness Experience
Trailblazer: Bill Simon Alpine Designs, Kelty Pack, Marmot, Odyssey, Sierra Designs, Snow Lion, The North Face

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