photo by Allen Casey
KAMP is an adventure boutique located on South Jefferson near Cherokee Street. As of this writing, it is the only outdoor/travel store in the city, and to celebrate 6 months of being open, it held an all-day event called The Great KAMPout at Castlewood State Park.
Disclosure: Photo Flood Saint Louis Founder, Jason Gray, is also the Co-Owner of KAMP. With that in mind, this post is not meant to wax poetic about the store (this is not an advertisement). Rather, we are going to report the basics, and recommend that you check it out in-person, to decide for yourself.
photo by Joe Harrison
photo by Mike Matney, of KAMP Co-Owner Jason Gray setting up a tree tent
photo by Michelle Bates
photo by Mandi Gray
photo by Joe Harrison
photo by Michelle Bates
The Great KAMPout was conceived as a customer appreciation event to celebrate six months of business, and included product demos, food samples, beer from The Civil Life brewery, a group hike and more. Unfortunately, on the event day, the temperature hung in the low 50’s after having been near 90 just days earlier. Still, people came in and out over the day (though fewer “cold ones” were enjoyed), including members of organizations that KAMP is friends or partners with, like STL Female Trekkers (a hiking group for women) and Gateway to the Great Outdoors (a non-profit that introduces outdoor education to public schools in Chicago and St. Louis). KAMP has supported PFSTL in some ways as well, and shares a special relationship that goes beyond having the same Founder for each.
photo by Allen Casey
photo by Mike Matney
photo by Joe Harrison
photo by Joe Harrison
photo by Joe Harrison
The Group Hike was led by KAMP Co-Owner Mandi Gray, and followed the River Scene Trail up along the bluffs of Castlewood and down again to the edge of the Meramec River. The scenic images from this post were shot en route.
photo by Michelle Bates
photo by Michelle Bates
photo by Michelle Bates
Upon return from the hike, samples of Kate’s Real Food bars, a tasty product sold at KAMP, were waiting, and served alongside a choice of hot apple cider and/or The Civil Life’s American Brown Ale (a PFSTL favorite that was served at our own five-year anniversary party). Following up, s’mores were cooked over a campstove that converts heat energy into electricity (massive cool factor there!).
Meanwhile, KAMP brought along several other interesting gadgets and gear for people to check out and interact with, including pop-up dinnerware, a lantern and light strand controllable by smartphone, a carabiner fire starter, and more. They even had your choice of lounging equipment ready in the form of a tree tent and a hammock with a rain/wind shelter.
photo by Allen Casey
photo by Joe Harrison
Despite the chilly weather, everyone seemed to have a good time, and we look forward to KAMP doing another one of these in six more months (when it’s a bit warmer!).
photo by Allen Casey
photo by Mike Matney
photo by Michelle Bates
