“What happened with ACK?” customer Cesar Miranda commented on ACK’s Facebook page. The House website that replaced ACK’s sprawling online store lists just 11 kayak models, mostly low-end inflatables and hardshells from Erewhon, the house brand Camping World bought out of bankruptcy five years ago. That’s cold comfort for customers like Joseph, an avid kayak angler who bought three kayaks from ACK in five years. “Not sure at this point, just hold on to it for the time being and if we need to we can always exchange it for credit at The House.” When Joseph pressed about a refund for the $200 ACK gift card he received over the holidays, the response was equally Kafkaesque.
“I was able to get an answer about when we’ll be able to fulfill the ACK inventory, sounds like it will take a few months to get things transferred to our new warehouse in California and we are hoping to be able to offer those items around April,” a rep from The House told long-time ACK customer Anthony Joseph in an online chat. The House’s response: don’t hold your breath. The sudden closure left ACK customers wondering what would become of pending orders, and whether the new owners would refund the gift cards ACK sold right up to the end. “You basically sell everything and all the vendors just have to get in line and try to figure it out if there’s anything left.” “It doesn’t go in front of a judge,” Andreu said. The ACK website now redirects to a page on offering 65 paddling-related items and a pitch for ACK’s customers: “Austin Kayak may have closed it’s doors … but The House is here to pick up where they left off as your online dealer for outdoor gear!”ĪCK and Summit Sports assets were liquidated in an assignment for the benefit of creditors, a legal device used as an alternative to formal bankruptcy. The outdoor e-commerce business acquired the leftover inventory of both Summit Sports and ACK, as well as domains, trademarks, lists and other intellectual property. Just like that, one of paddling’s enduring retail success stories was a pile of ashes.Ĭamping World subsidiary The House scooped up the remains. Non-retail employees were given a modest severance, while retail staffers who agreed to stick around to clear out the stores received retention bonuses. ACK’s stores in Austin, San Marcos, San Antonio and two Houston locations were shuttered without notice.
The hammer finally dropped on December 31.
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