So Jan Cameron is pulling the strings at MacPac

Does not surprise me. Have even seen NOOD coathangers and other 'NOOD' branding in Macpac stores before. (Nood is a ummm homware chain owned by Jan Cameron). I wonder what the 40 strong Kathmandu design team is doing... They have not made any signifcant changes to their sleeping bag or tent ranges... Suppose they concentrate on clothing where the largest margins are... but even their clothing ranges are rather 'generic'.

A new article is on Stuff this morning outlining what Macpac intend to do with Jan Cameron's millions - expand into Europe and Japan. To me this looks like Kathmandu mk2 but with a more well-known (and currently more respected) brand. Perhaps the goal is to build another global brand that has a very strong retail store focus along the lines of REI, MEC or The North Face. "Someone said to me that the revival of MacPac five years ago had Jan Cameron's fingerprints all over it." When I saw that Macpac's buyers were all very closely linked to Jan Cameron and/or Kathmandu I thought the same thing. Perhaps this injection of capital is the first of many steps to bring Cameron into Macpac now that the non-competition clause has run out. "I wonder what the 40 strong Kathmandu design team is doing..." Searching Asian factories and markets for the cheapest products that can sold for the highest margins. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5124801/MacPac-eyes-offshore-markets

militaris, if you want something even more obvious, for a while now (as long as they've been there which I think is several years) the Macpac and Nood stores in Petone have been open plan walk-through from one to the other. http://goo.gl/maps/1Xza Swing that view around to the right and you'll see Kathmandu on the opposite corner, though that's probably less suspicious because it's common for shops in this market to hang out nearby each other.

yes interesting dynamic that grouping together of stores - up the escalator at sylvia park mt wellington - and wham: bivouac/macpac/kathmandu - a multiplex within a multiplex - quite good for comparing price/product/look and feel - in the real - ie not online - they must all be buddies to hang out so conspicuously....

Was like that on Colombo street in Christchurch, atleast before the earthquake... Had half a dozen tramping shops basically next door (Biv, Mac, Columbia, RR, Mountain Design, Snow Gum, Kath and maybe one more), Was a quick walk to check them all out. I suspect they move in next door to each other to try and poach each others customers. Its simaialr in Nelson, With RR sports moving in next door to Rollos. Kathmandu and Mountain Design are also next to each other. To be fair, Macpac is out by themselves (although close to Hamills a outdoor/fishing shop) and altitude is off by itself to.

Wellington City. Katmandu and Dwights camping upstairs in one shop. The Katmandu clearance store downstairs and just round the corner Macpac and if you then cross the road you geat Bivouac and Mountain designs. You have to go nearly 200 metres to get to Rebel and the Gordons chain of shops or the same in a different direction to get to R&R Why do they all have there sales at the same time?

I can not remember the last time Macpac and Kathmandu were not on sale.... to be fair many shops like to use public holidays as a excuse to have sales. Then there is the end of finical year stocktake sales... but I suppose when one shop is discounted the others have to follow suit if they want to sell things.

At least macpac has the same number of staff year round. Katmandu can run there largest stores on 2 people except at sale time when theres 20