Missoula Firm Maps its Method to a Actual Montana Success Story

At a time when many “brick and mortar” shops are struggling in opposition to on-line competitors, a Missoula firm has flipped that enterprise state of affairs, turning its digital storefront into an actual retail area.

Over a decade in the past, brothers Chris and Greg Robinaille determined to mix their respective abilities in artwork and enterprise, launching Xplorer Maps from their shared appreciation of traditional, hand-drawn maps.

With Chris lending his appreciable creative expertise working remotely in Africa, and Greg and his workforce understanding of their Missoula warehouse, Xplorer Maps has change into one in all Montana’s finest on-line enterprise success tales.

This weekend, the corporate enters a brand new part with the opening of a brand new retail retailer in Missoula.

“For the previous couple of years we have contemplated a brick and mortar and as loopy as that sounds,” Greg, Xplorer Maps President and CEO instructed me this week. “This area grew to become accessible, on the entrance finish of our warehouse and workplace. So we simply thought the time was now. And I’ve acquired a tremendous workforce behind the scenes which have labored their butts off to make this come to fruition. And we wish to actually make extra of a neighborhood reference to the Missoula and Xplorer Maps and Western Montana generally.”

The outcomes are spectacular, opening a window on not solely Xplorer Maps’ gorgeous creations, however a world of recollection of journeys to particular locations, or goals of journeys to new locations.

“We have maps of 60 completely different locations all over the world. 22 nationwide parks and 14 states and 20 journey locations. After which for every of these we’ve 10 to twenty completely different merchandise for every of these map places,” Greg explains. “So hopefully we’ll get folks in who’re initially from someplace else. Along with our 4 Montana-based maps hopefully, they discover a connection to their place that they name house.”

The shop at 1245 S. third Road West has been organized so customers can see the maps, after which all of the related merchandise for that place, from mugs to blankets to puzzles and extra. One enticing function is that clients will be capable of choose a present, and have it wrapped and shipped with a handwritten be aware that very same day anyplace on the planet.

Whereas Xplorer Maps plans to proceed connections with organizations and causes remotely, the shop will even be used as a brand new gathering place for native teams.

And the shop would be the place to get pleasure from Chris’ fantastic work in an “artwork gallery” setting.

“That is what we’re,” Greg agrees. “We’re an artwork firm that tells tales of those cool locations. We positively wish to be sure that folks see the artwork once they are available in and so they get a way of wonderment at, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s so many alternative locations that these guys function.’ However we additionally wished to be informal and low-key and have or not it’s a dialog as a result of, finally, that is what Xplorer Maps does. We wish to inform tales of those completely different locations all through the world.”

Xplorer Maps can be celebrating its Grand Opening from 11 am to five pm by means of Sunday, with meals vehicles, music, and displays, together with multi-media displays from “Mandella”, the corporate’s “lead storyteller”, who’s again from her explorations and work with conservation efforts in Africa.