I wonder how much the purchase price was tanked by Kent when, just after setting up their booth at Sea Otter, staff were instructed to take it all down? Apparently the CEO misunderstood what Sea Otter was and thought they were at some sort of sales conference rather than a consumer-facing festival.
At that point everyone in the bike industry thought the brand was done, including Kona employees. Thankfully the outcome has been much more positive, and that Sea Otter blunder likely made the owners more impatient to dispatch the brand.
Private equity and mountain bike companies are not a good match.
May 21, 2024, 9:07 a.m. - Cam McRae
I wonder how much the purchase price was tanked by Kent when, just after setting up their booth at Sea Otter, staff were instructed to take it all down? Apparently the CEO misunderstood what Sea Otter was and thought they were at some sort of sales conference rather than a consumer-facing festival. At that point everyone in the bike industry thought the brand was done, including Kona employees. Thankfully the outcome has been much more positive, and that Sea Otter blunder likely made the owners more impatient to dispatch the brand. Private equity and mountain bike companies are not a good match.