FERNDALE, Wash. — In 2022, Kent Outdoors purchased Kona Bicycles, a globally recognized bicycle manufacturer started in British Columbia in 1988 with its US presence based out of a warehouse on Salashan Loop in Ferndale. This week it was announced that Kona founders, Jake Heilbron and Dan Gerhard, had purchased the company back.
When we stepped away from the business three years ago, we felt the next version of Kona would continue to grow and flourish with time. Recent history proved us wrong, and everyone in the cycling world knows how difficult the past 18 months have become.
– Jake Heilbron (May 20, 2024)
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We’re pleased to announce the sale of Kona and to know that Dan and Jake are at the helm to move this well-respected brand forward and continue serving dealers and customers.
– Kent Outdoors Executive Chairman Lee Belitsky (May 20, 2024)
In an open letter posted on the Kona website, principals say they will initially be “pausing” consumer (D2C) sales in order to work on their dealer relationships.
To best honor our dealer relationships, we are pausing D2C for all bikes. Konaworld will show changes to reflect this, and our social and communications channels will be getting reworked as well once we get things rolling.
A company retail location on N State Street in Bellingham was closed in 2023.