Britches Great Outdoors
Britches Great Outdoors is an American men’s clothing brand that developed from a Georgetown retailer into a preppy apparel chain, closed in 2003, and was revived in 2019.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Britches Great Outdoors is an American apparel brand with roots in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. The business began in 1966 as The Georgetown Slack Shoppe and soon developed into a retailer and maker of men’s dress clothing under the name Britches of Georgetowne. Its early identity combined traditional American styling with a deliberately irreverent attitude. The company was associated with the growth of the preppy clothing market, but its presentation was less conventional than the category’s most familiar brands. Its stores sold Britches-label garments that were not generally available elsewhere and cultivated a distinctive retail atmosphere built around classic clothing with unusual details. Britches gained early recognition as a retailer of Ralph Lauren ties and in 1977 supplied clothing for the crew of Ted Turner’s yacht Courageous, which won that year’s America’s Cup. As demand for casual clothing increased, the company developed the Britches Great Outdoors store concept. The format expanded substantially during the 1980s, reaching more than 60 stores by 1988, including approximately 35 in the Washington, D.C., area. The business was reported to have generated about $100 million in sales in 1988, although that figure belongs to the historical period rather than the revived brand. The brand’s visual language included a warthog emblem on polo shirts. The logo was conceived as a playful response to the animal insignia used by other preppy apparel companies, including the polo pony associated with Ralph Lauren and the alligator associated with Lacoste. Rather than presenting a polished aspirational animal, Britches used an intentionally unattractive creature to create what commentators described as an anti-brand: traditional or preppy clothing with a mischievous edge. In 1983, Britches was acquired by CML Group, a diversified retail conglomerate whose holdings included NordicTrack, Boston Whaler, and The Nature Company. The business later encountered financial difficulties as the apparel retail environment changed. Its women’s wear line was sold to Wet Seal in 2002, and the remaining Britches Great Outdoors stores were converted to Wet Seal’s Arden B format, which targeted an affluent female customer. Britches filed for bankruptcy protection in late 2002 and closed its remaining locations in mid-2003. The brand was revived after Matt Carson acquired the rights in late 2019. The relaunch involved collaboration with members of the original team and manufacturers. The renewed business returned to the brand’s heritage in American men’s clothing and outdoor-influenced casual apparel. As of 2024, the revived Britches operated a store in Warrenton, Virginia. Publicly available material provides limited detail about its current store count, financial performance, distribution, and ownership structure beyond Carson’s acquisition of the brand rights.
History
Britches Great Outdoors traces its origins to The Georgetown Slack Shoppe, a clothing retailer established in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., in 1966. The business soon changed its identity to Britches of Georgetowne and expanded from a local retail concept into a broader men’s clothing operation. It sold dress apparel and accessories while developing its own label, positioning itself around conventional American quality but with styling and merchandising that were more playful than strictly formal. The company became an early retailer of Ralph Lauren ties and received notable exposure in 1977 when it outfitted the crew of Ted Turner’s Courageous, the yacht that won the America’s Cup that year. During the same broad period, changing consumer preferences increased demand for casual clothing. Britches responded by creating the Britches Great Outdoors store concept, extending the business beyond traditional men’s dress wear into casual and outdoor-influenced apparel. Expansion accelerated during the 1980s. By 1988 the chain had grown to more than 60 stores, with roughly 35 locations in the Washington, D.C., region, and historical reference material reported sales of approximately $100 million for that year. The brand’s appeal came not only from its product range but also from its distinctive interpretation of preppy fashion. Britches garments often retained traditional silhouettes and materials while adding unexpected details. The company’s warthog logo became a visible expression of this approach. It parodied the animal symbols of other preppy brands by choosing an intentionally ungainly animal, helping the company build an anti-brand identity that treated classic clothing with humor and attitude. In 1983, Britches was acquired by CML Group. CML was a diversified retail group with businesses including NordicTrack, Boston Whaler, and The Nature Company. Under changing ownership and amid a difficult retail environment, Britches continued operating but later experienced financial strain. The company’s difficulties became particularly evident from the late 1990s through the early 2000s. In 2002, Wet Seal bought the women’s wear line. Wet Seal then converted the remaining 83 Britches Great Outdoors stores to its Arden B format, aimed at an affluent female market. The original company filed for bankruptcy protection in late 2002 and closed its remaining locations in mid-2003. The name remained dormant until Matt Carson purchased the rights to revive it in late 2019. The relaunch was undertaken with assistance from people connected to the original business and from original or heritage manufacturers. The revived brand returned to its historical emphasis on men’s apparel and the combination of preppy, traditional, casual, and outdoor references. By 2024, it operated a store in Warrenton, Virginia. Available reference material does not establish a broader current retail footprint, detailed corporate structure, financial results, or a comprehensive wholesale network.
- 2024
Revived brand operates in Warrenton
[1]The revived Britches business was reported to operate a store in Warrenton, Virginia.
- 2019
Brand rights acquired for relaunch
[1]Matt Carson acquired the rights to resurrect the Britches name and began collaborating with former team members and manufacturers.
- 2003
Original retail operation closes
[1]All remaining original Britches locations closed in mid-2003.
- 2002
Women’s wear line sold to Wet Seal
[1]Wet Seal acquired Britches’ women’s wear line, while the broader business entered a period of restructuring and financial distress.
- 2002
Bankruptcy protection
[1]The original company filed for bankruptcy protection late in the year.
- 1988
Chain reaches more than 60 stores
[1]Britches Great Outdoors grew to more than 60 locations, including about 35 in the Washington, D.C., area; historical sources report approximately $100 million in sales for the year.
- 1983
Acquisition by CML Group
[1]CML Group acquired Britches as part of its diversified retail portfolio.
- 1977
Courageous crew outfitted
[1]Britches supplied clothing for Ted Turner’s Courageous crew during the yacht’s America’s Cup victory.
- 1966
The Georgetown Slack Shoppe opens
[1]The retail business that would become Britches begins in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Products and positioning
American preppy and traditional clothing with a playful, irreverent edge and outdoor-inspired casual styling.
Men’s apparel · 1966
Men’s dress clothing
Britches began as a retailer of men’s dress clothing and developed a full men’s apparel line under the Britches of Georgetowne name. The category formed the traditional foundation of the brand, later balanced by more casual and outdoor-oriented merchandise.
Men’s accessories
Ties
The company was an early retailer of Ralph Lauren ties, an association that helped place the Georgetown business within the emerging American preppy apparel market.
Casual menswear
Warthog-logo polo shirts
Polo shirts carrying the warthog emblem became a recognizable expression of Britches’ deliberately humorous approach to preppy clothing. The logo played against the polished animal symbols used by competing apparel brands and supported the company’s anti-brand identity.
Outdoor-influenced casual apparel
Britches Great Outdoors apparel
The Britches Great Outdoors format broadened the business beyond dress clothing into casual garments influenced by outdoor wear. This product direction supported the chain’s expansion during the 1980s and became central to the retail name used before the original business closed.
Brand decisions
2019
Rights acquired to revive BritchesStrategyBackground
The original Britches retail operation had closed in 2003, leaving the brand name inactive.
Action taken
Matt Carson acquired the rights to resurrect the brand and worked with members of the original team and manufacturers.
Aftermath
The brand returned to operation and was reported to have a store in Warrenton, Virginia, by 2024.
2002
Wet Seal acquires the women’s wear lineM&ABackground
Britches was under financial pressure and had diversified beyond its historic men’s clothing focus.
Action taken
Wet Seal purchased the women’s wear line and converted the remaining Britches Great Outdoors stores to its Arden B format.
Aftermath
The transaction was followed by bankruptcy protection for the original company and the closure of its remaining locations in 2003.
1983
CML Group acquires BritchesM&ABackground
Britches had developed from a Georgetown retailer into a growing men’s apparel and specialty-store chain.
Action taken
CML Group purchased the business and added it to its diversified retail holdings.
Aftermath
Britches continued operating under the broader CML ownership structure before later financial difficulties and restructuring.
Sources1 sources
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