Have you ever been in mid-preparation for your latest road trip and/or outdoor adventure and found yourself wishing that Cincinnati had a true outfitter's store? A small, friendly knowledgeable local alternative to the sterile, ubiquitous chain?
Roads, Rivers and Trails (RRT) is now open and ready to outfit you for any adventure whether it be a weekend roadie to Asheville, a month long slog through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, or through Cincinnati's hundreds of miles of parks and greenspace.
Located at 118 Main Street in the heart of Old Milford, RRT is owned and operated by a troika of young outdoors-persons: Joe White, Emily White, and Bryan Wolf. Each of the owners has deep roots in the community. They're as committed to the region as they are to one another - Joe and Emily are married; Bryan and Joe are long time friends who have, amongst other adventures, driven cross country and hiked the entire length of the Appalachian Trial during the winter.
RRT opened this past winter and celebrates a long tradition of specialty outfitters in Milford; occupying the same space formally held by Adventure Outfitters. In addition to selling quality outdoor gear, RRT also goes the extra mile to see that trips progress beyond the planning stages; supplying experience, encouragement and a resource library as well as meeting space in the store where co-conspirators can come together and plot their adventures.
"We want to take the time to get to know our customers and we want to provide the motivation they need to make their experience happen," says Emily White.
The interests of the owners dovetail nicely - Emily is a University of Cincinnati grad with a business degree, Joe is finishing at UC this semester having studied entrepreneurship, and Bryan has long dreamed of owning an outfitter store.
The century old building that houses RRT is both comfortable, complete with worn wooden floors, chainsaw carved book cases and a painted tin ceiling; as well as convenient. Situated at the cross roads of all things outdoors in the Midwest, the store is at the junction of over 22,000 miles of long distance hiking, cycling and regional paddling trails which converge in Milford.
Given both their close personal affiliations, as well as their attachment to the Cincinnati area, the three UC graduates say that they are here to stay.
"We want to make Milford the adventure capital of Cincinnati," says Wolf.
Writer: Michael Kearns
Photography by Michael Kearns
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.